Code Geass SEED: Wolf's Fury
by Storm Wolf77415
Summary: In another universe, the Storm Wolves didn't survive the Battle of Endymion, or so everyone thought. They just moved onto their next adventure. Pairings include OCxEuphie, OCxMilly, OCxKallen, LelouchXC.C.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Gundam SEED and Code Geass are the property of Sunrise. Sebastian Connor, and the Storm Wolves are mine, and Wing Commander White Wolf is the creator of Anthony Russo and Tiamat Monarch. Daisuke Sanada is the creation of Centurious the Azure.

Code Geass: Wolf's Fury

By Storm Wolf77415 and Wing Commander White Wolf

Prologue

_ A single figure walked through darkened halls. Quick, light steps. The person was here on a mission, and had no desire to stay any longer than needed. The figure came to a pair of oversized double doors. The doors slowly creaked open, and the figure walked into a large, dark room. "Is this all really necessary? It's so ridiculous." The figure spoke, the voice was male, no older than his mid-teens. _

_ "Well…I never imagined we'd meet again. You must be really desperate if you're coming to little old me." A smug feminine voice cut through the darkness. "If you're going to speak, I'd suggest you do it now. My time…and my patience are very limited." _

_ "Hmph, if I had my way I'd avoid you like the plague! I'd rather take the company of that annoying, sarcastic, pizza loving woman any day of the week!" he shot back. "You've always been condescending towards my brother and I. But then I gained the same power as you, and we had no more need of your…guidance." He spat out the last word. _

_ A whistling sound cut through the darkness before a loud THWACK sounded. "OW!" the boy yelled, rubbing the sore spot on his forehead where he'd been hit by a thrown object. _

_ "Watch it…little boy. You may hold the same power as I do, but you and I are NOT equals. Don't forget it was _I_ who gave you the Power of the King in the first place. It was _I_ who helped you two claim the throne. And last time I checked, your brother was a corpse, and the man who sits on MY throne is an imposter! I don't need to help you, but since I rather enjoy living and not seeing that horrid man reduce the world to a lifeless wasteland. I'll do it."_

_ "Hmph, fine then. It requires two Code-Bearers to work anyway." He grumbled. _

_ "Alright, Brain Boy, what do you have in mind?" the woman replied. "Is there a way to stop this madman?"_

_ "Yes, there is, I've scouted the multiverse, looking across numerous worlds to see how far his cancer has spread. He's only managed to link to two other parallel Earths, but they are both worlds with large scale wars with body counts dwarfing anything we've ever seen…You still intend to reach out to the boy?" _

_ "Indeed, after all he IS my descendant, and a far worthier heir than some of your other nieces and nephews. These two have known true strife, and survived for it. That alone gives them my seal of approval. If anyone can guarantee the future, it's him and his sister. He's got the mind, and the cunning to do so. He'll need soldiers, experienced soldiers to fight for him. Any prospects?" _

_ "There is one group from one of the affected worlds which caught my eye. They're on the rough and ready side, but every one of them is a veteran of their world's conflict, and their commanders are quite famous. Care to have a look?" _

_ "Of course, I want to know what I'm getting for my money." She turned on a TV. It fizzled and buzzed with static before fixing on an image of a starscape with three blue starships…the moon in the background. On the side of the lead vessel was black block lettering reading_ "PSV Calvin."

(June 2nd, C.E. 70, Lunar orbit, PSV _Calvin_)

"I really REALLY do not like this plan, Anthony." Commander Sebastian Connor, The Storm Wolf of Jachin Due spoke to his long time partner, Commander Anthony Russo, The Arctic White Wolf, "An SOIT drop into the base itself? And _I _have to be the one who remains behind in command? You're the ship-to-ship expert, Anthony. You should remain here and I'll go down with the rest of the team."

"I have a bad feeling about this too, Pup, and I would gladly swap places with you. I just can't shake the bad feeling I'm getting, Sebastian. Keep your head on a swivel up here, okay? The last thing I need is to explain to Lacus why you got blown out of the skies on my watch, kay?"

"Only if you do the same for me, bro," the younger man said, giving his partner a firm handshake. "Get down to the drop bays and tell the others to mount up. I'll…monitor things from here. Godspeed to you my friend." Anthony nodded and left Sebastian's office. The eighteen year old turned his gaze to the framed picture on the desktop. A young woman with pink hair pulled into a high ponytail. She had eyes blue as the sky. A tight pink and blue one-piece swimsuit adorned her curvy body, and a bright smile on her angelic face. "Lacus…" he whispered.

"Commander Connor, we just received word from Commander Le Creuset on the _Galvani_. We're getting ready to move out."

"Understood, I'll be right there. I love you honey, be with you during this time, I have the feeling I'm going to need all the support I can get." He whispered to the picture, before straightening his red uniform and heading for the bridge. The Storm Wolf gave a brief nod to the bridge crew, before settling into his commander chair. Rau Le Creuset, commander for this operation was on an open channel, addressing the entire fleet on the importance of the mission, attacking the Earth Alliance's main supply base in Endymion crater. After their main headquarters at Ptolemaios, it was the largest installation on the moon, and its destruction would be a huge blow to the Earth Forces.

Sebastian paid little attention to Rau's words, fidgeting the entire time. He much preferred the pilot's seat in his ZGMF-515 CGUE. The Storm Wolf was very much a commander who led from the front. He would much rather share the danger with his men, rather than sit in relative comfort in a command center while the people under him died. "I shouldn't be up here! My place is down there with the other guys, or leading the other mobile suit teams! I'm completely out of my element here." He muttered under his breath. "Anthony, you'd better bring everyone home alive!"

(_Calvin _Drop Bay)

Anthony stood in the mottled gray and black camouflaged body armor of the Special Orbital Insertion Troopers, the elite infantry of ZAFT, helmet under his arm. Anthony's armor was personalized with a white stripe on the chest plate. "Alright troopers, form up on the line!" He barked. The other members of the Storm Wolves formed up shoulder to shoulder into a ridged position. The White Wolf paced up and down the column. "Our target is the EA's supply base in this God forsaken crater. We're to infiltrate it and recover any intel of value and get the hell out." He ranted, "This won't be easy. Hell, Life for us isn't easy."

"With all due respect, Commander. We wouldn't have it any other way. We Wolves kind of make our living off of crazy stunts, sir." Lieutenant Daisuke Sanada, one of the new additions to the team joked. A hand nearly as big as Daisuke's head rested on his shoulder. The young pilot jumped, and in the low gravity environment, he floated across the bay, and nearly slammed into the wall. "Geez dude, give a guy some warning the next time you do that! I nearly had a heart attack!"

He shook a fist at the hand's owner, a literal giant of a man of Hungarian descent. Forty-one year old Jorge Farkas was another late addition to the roster, a veteran of many battlefronts, His cool and relaxed attitude was a welcome addition to the team, "Sorry about that, just keeping you on your toes, kid. The battlefield can be a harsh place." He said in a quiet tone. "But don't worry, my friend and I have your back." He hefted his weapon of choice, an M247H Heavy Machine Gun.

Anthony gave a small nod of approval before clearing his throat, "We're ZAFT's Elite. We are SOIT. We're gonna Jump off this ship straight into the darkest pits of hell itself." he smiled at the next thing coming out of his mouth, "AND HOW ARE WE LEAVING FOR THAT PLACE?!" he shouted to his fellow Soldiers.

"WE GO FEET FIRST, SIR!" They all shouted back, completing the age-old ritual.

The Arctic White Wolf smirked, "Grab your gear, Mid-range to Close Quarter combat with possible Internal defenses. Load up accordingly." Anthony instructed, "Fall out to your positions!" He walked over the weapons rack and grabbed himself an SRS 99D Sniper Rifle and a MA5C Assault Rifle. He also pulled an M6S SOCOM and slid it into the hip holster.

The five minute warning came and the White Wolf ordered the rest of the pack to their pods. Anthony stepped into his pod and strapped up. "Here goes…everything." He keyed the com channel to the _Calvin_'s bridge, "What's the word, Sebastian? You comfy in the big chair?"

"Pff! Not at all! It's too cushy, makes me feel complacent. Rau's addressing the fleet, how we'll bring glory to the PLANTs, he's proud of everyone, yadda yadda yadda, same old bullshit...I could care less what he says. I just wish I was going with you, Anthony. I don't like the idea of staying here while you guys are out there risking your lives. I'm not a rear echelon commander. I need to be in the thick of things."

Anthony chuckled, "Hehe, sometimes I think that Fate and Destiny always wins. Knowing you, you'll snap and launch too. Good thing, I had Duncan pack all your gear. Don't worry pup. Everything will work out. We'll be back before you know it." The White Wolf slid his helmet on his head, and boarded his Single Occupant Exothermic Insertion Vehicle.

Sebastian chuckled, "You're probably right, Anthony. Good luck to you all."

(Skies over Endymion Crater.)

ZAFT's Sixteenth Fleet, under the flag of Commander Rau Le Creuset, made towards the Earth Alliance's Endymion supply base. Sebastian sat uneasily in his command chair. This was going to be the largest fleet action since the Battle over the Sea of Tranquility in May, Sebastian had been given command of Task Force 19, consisting of his own three vessels, and four more. While many would see this assignment as a huge honor, the Storm Wolf loathed every minute of it. All he could be was a witness to the combat below, but he considered himself a loyal soldier so he was forced to fidget impatiently.

"Commence operation! Launch all SOIT squads and mobile suit teams!" Sebastian ordered. "May god be with us all," He whispered to no one in particular. The Storm Wolves's SOEIVs disgorged from the belly of the _Calvin_ and her sister ships. In the meantime the other ships of the fleet were launching SOEIVs and ZGMF-1017 GINNs and ZGMF-515 CGUES. The Earth Forces' TS-MA02 Mobieus mobile armors started flying from the base itself and the incoming Third Orbital Fleet.

"All ships open fire!" Sebastian ordered, and the ZAFT and Earth Alliance vessels starting flinging massive emerald beams at each other, and the yellow streaks of shells fired from railguns lit up the black skies. The _Calvin_ claimed its first victim as a _Nelson_-class battleship was speared by a shot from the ship's 120cm high energy beam cannons, but one of the Storm Wolf's ships followed it into oblivion from a missile barrage courtesy of a _Drake_-class frigate's numerous missile launchers.

Sebastian winced as another of his ships became an explosive cloud of fire and debris, "That was way too close! Have my CGUE on alert five. I don't want to sit around here so we can get the ship blown out from underneath us."

"Way ahead of you, Commander! Your machine is prepped and on the catapult." One of his bridge techs reported. "Judging from how things are going, we're going to need it!" Indeed, as the battle continued to rage, with Earth Alliance and ZAFT soldiers alike meeting explosive ends, the battle was turning into a no contest. The _Calvin_ was getting pummeled by Earth Forces vessels.

"We've lost the number two and six engines! Port side beam cannon and both railguns have been destroyed!" One of the bridge officers called out.

"The _Locke_ has been destroyed! _Hobbes _is listing to port, and its life support is failing rapidly!" another bridge tech with a sizable gash on her head called out frantically. "Commander, we've got an _Agamemnon_ bearing down on us! The ship is opening fire!" the command carrier's twin high-energy cannons lanced out, striking the _Calvin_ broadside.

The bridge fell apart, consoles exploded, the lighting sparked. The Storm Wolf catapulted out of his chair landing face first on the floor. Shaking the cobwebs out of his head, he wiped the blood off his face, undoing the collar of his uniform. The bridge of the _Calvin_ was in shambles, much of the bridge crew dead after the last barrage. Shaking the cobwebs from his head, he turned his attention to the battlenet. Casualties were piling up on both sides and the fighting wasn't letting up one bit.

He turned over to the Earth Alliance channel, and the words of the base commander chilled him to the bone. _"Well done, everyone. The space monsters have taken the bait. The Cyclops will cleanse their abomination from this world. All hands evacuate. For the preservation of our blue and pure world!" _

"Fuck! It's a trap!" Sebastian's horror intensified when he remembered where his best friend and team had just dropped in to, they would be at ground zero of whatever horrors left by the Earth Forces, "Anthony! I've got to warn them!" The Storm Wolf grunted in pain, pulling himself over to the communications board, he keyed in the frequency the rest of the team were using.

_"Alright, this is Storm Wolf Two, we've all landed! Storm Wolves form up on my position. We're going to our infiltration point at the east maintenance entrance, stack up and get ready to move out!" _

"NO!" the Storm Wolf yelled in anger, slamming his fist against the console. "Storm Wolf to White Wolf please acknowledge!" All he got was static. "FUCK! I've gotta get down there! I'm not losing any more of the people I care about, fuck Rau and his orders!"

He ran to the locker room, frantically changing into his green flightsuit and slamming the white wolf shaped helmet on his head. He hopped into the cockpit of his custom painted, white and forest green CGUE. Not bothering with the catapult, he grabbed a Heavy Ion cannon, blasting his way through the hull. Tossing the massive weapon aside. He nearly drove the accelerator through the floor, screaming down towards the moon's surface.

(Endymion Crater)

A TS-MA2 Moebius Mobile Armor exploded into a fireball, courtesy of a spray of 27mm shells from the rifle of a steel gray ZGMF-1017M GINN High Maneuver Type trimmed in blood red. "hahaha! Like shooting fish in a barrel!" Zavier Yukari, the Blood Fox of Yggdrasil cackled. "It doesn't get any better than this, eh Kyle?"

"Yeah…whatever you say," Commander Kyle Evans, the Grimaldi Hyena replied. _There's no challenge in fighting the Earth Forces anymore, the only real opponent I have is Connor, but it's not like the two of us can go all out on the battlefield against each other, we're still both on the same side. _Kyle had come from a humble background, joining the military to help support his family's auto mechanic business, making sure three-quarters of his paycheck went back to his father and his little sisters.

It wasn't that he hated Sebastian Connor but it riled him to no end that the Storm Wolf managed to grab the attention of no one less than the daughter of the Supreme Chairman, Lacus Clyne herself. Like so many others in the PLANTs, Kyle had become a fast fan of her music, even developing some true feelings for her, but he would always be second next to the sword wielding pilot.

"It sounds like the battle's reaching a pitch, we should get out of here, Zavier. I don't like how this battlefield is shaping out." Kyle said, an uneasy feeling forming in his stomach.

"Aw come, Kyle! You know how I get when I don't get my kill on! I'm just getting warmed up! I want the Earth Alliance to know that I mean business today!" the Blood Fox whined. He raised his rifle to bring down a Mobieus Zero but it suddenly erupted into a fiery blaze. "Hey! Who stole my kill?" Both pilots looked upwards to see a white and green CGUE hurtling towards them with a murderous intent. "Connor? What the hell is his damage?" Zavier felt a small twinge of fear at the incoming machine.

Sebastian's eyes were ablaze with fury and anger, and then he saw the machines of the last two people in the world he wanted to deal with, "Oh great, those two!" He snarled, before his face turned into a sinister smirk. "Well, perhaps THEY know where my team is!" the Storm Wolf stopped in front of him, speaking in the most frigid tone he could manage. "Tell me right now what sector Anthony and the others were assigned to, or I'll kill you both myself, and I WILL do it!" Sebastian raised his rifle for emphasis.

Zavier forgot his earlier fear, and gave his usual smartass reply, "Why do you want to know?" He sneered, "You shouldn't even be here right now! You were supposed to remain with the fleet! When this is over, I'll report you straight to Commander Le Creuset, and you'll be in a whole mess of trouble!"

Kyle immediately stepped in, not liking how the end of the Storm Wolf's gun was gleaming, "Whoa! Take a deep breath before you do something you regret, Connor! They're in Sector E-057! What's going on, here? This isn't you at all! Lacus would never want to see you this way!"

"At this point I could really care less about what Lacus thinks about my actions! This whole thing was a set up! The Earth Forces booby trapped the base, and Anthony and the others are RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF IT and I am NOT letting them die! I've lost too much as is!" Sebastian's voice rose with each word, and Kyle's stomach leapt into his throat. Zavier just gave a harsh, snorting laugh.

"Pah! Who cares about them? They knew the risks of this business. If they walked into a trap it's they're own damn fault! And who really cares about a bunch of mangy wolves anyway? Nothing but Natural-loving trash! They were already an endangered species, might as well let nature finish the job it started!" Zavier started laughing. A spray of 76mm bullets ripped through his mobile suit. "KYYYYLLEEEEEE!" Zavier screamed as his GINN exploded.

Sebastian had to blink to make sure his eyes weren't failing him. Kyle had just wasted his own teammate, the MMI-M7S machine gun still raised. "I suggest we get moving if we're going to save your teammates…Sebastian. I may not have a lot of love for you, but Zavier was wrong. Your guys are still soldiers of ZAFT and they're just as much my comrades as they're yours, they don't deserve to die."

"Fine then, Let's go!" The two CGUEs rocketed towards the lunar surface. They found the team's landing site. Thirteen Single Occupant Exothermic Insertion Vehicles scattered about on the ground near an open access hatch. "Damn it, they're already inside! Storm Wolf Actual to White Wolf Actual, respond now!" Sebastian got a reply but not from the people he expected, a squad of eight Mobieuses swooped in on the Wolf and Hyena.

"You try and find your teammates! I'll deal with these guys!" Kyle said, rocketing into the sky. "Come on you shitbags! I'll take you all on!" Kyle's slammed in the last magazine of ammo he had into his machine gun, and started opening fire with the shield gatling. The seconds were ticking down, and the Grimaldi Hyena was going for broke.

Sebastian's CGUE made another round of his team's landing zone. His voice growing more and more panicked with each frantic call, "STORM WOLF TO WHITE WOLF, RESPOND NOW! DAMN IT, ANTHONY PICK THE FUCK UP!"

"Pup, what's wrong? Calm down! We're all fine!" Anthony finally replied. "Something weird's going on, the entire base is deserted, We haven't encountered any resistance!"

"SHUT UP AND LISTEN TO ME! YOU HAVE TO GET OUT OF THERE NOW! THE EARTH FORCES LEFT A TRAP! THE WHOLE PLACE IS GONNA BLOW!" Sebastian's voice was raw.

"OH SHIT! PEOPLE WE ARE LEAVING! FALL BACK FOR EXTRACTION, TRIPLE TIME!" Anthony yelled.

"A trap? We walked into a trap?" Daisuke moaned, "The recruiter didn't mention anything about traps when I signed up for this outfit! I want my money back! I guess they were right when they said 'Military Intelligence' was an oxymoron!"

"We're making our way back to the entry point now, Pup! It won't be much longer! Can you give us a pick up?" Anthony said.

"You got it!" Sebastian said, angling his CGUE straight for the hatch. "Kyle, where are you at?"

"A little busy right now!" He replied, burying his heavy sword into one of the mobile armors, and shredded a second with his shield Gatling. Three of the Mobieuses ganged up, and let loose all their missiles and starting opening fire with their linear cannons and 40mm vulcans. The missiles blew off the CGUE's head and arm, taking the shield Gatling with it. A linear round ripped through the engines, sending Kyle dropping like a brick to the lunar floor. "I'm down! I'll hook up with the rest of your squad!"

"Come on you guys, hurry up! I don't know what the Earth Forces left behind it could go off any…" Sebastian didn't get a chance to finish, as the whole base went up. The screams of all those caught in the blast wave of the nightmarish weapon later given the name of the Cyclops filled Sebastian's ears, including the voices of his fellow packmates.

"WHAT IS THIS?" Gabrielle DuMarchais "COMMANDER CONNOR! AAAAHHHHHH!" Her scream cut off by a burst of static. Sebastian saw what looked like an expanding crackling dome rushing towards him, GINNs, CGUEs, Mobieuses, and Zeros alike were being destroyed. He struggled to get his CGUE away, but it was not enough.

"Sorry Pup! Looks like this is the end of the line…" Anthony's voice was calm, he'd fully accepted his death. The Storm Wolf of Jachin Due roared in animalistic rage as a brilliant white light overtook him. Then the white light turned to blood red, and a strange bird like sigil appeared before blessed unconsciousness overtook him. Official reports would label the Storm Wolves and Grimaldi Hyena as Killed in Action, but new heroes would arise to defend the Cosmic Era, and the Song of the Storm Wolf's second verse would start in a new world.

(Location Unknown)

_"Mmm, nice save there at the end. You got all of them, not to mention that extra guy. They're the perfect warriors for what we need. Just one problem…where are they? You said they'd be sent immediately to Pendragon!" The girl said._

_ "This was my first attempt, it's not an exact science! No worries, they all were together, so they should all together…in theory at least." The boy replied. _

_ "I think things are about to become far more interesting around here. Well done, V.V. Perhaps there's hope for you yet." _

_ "I take my leave of you…milady." The Code Bearer known as V.V. turned and left the darkened chamber. A single spot light came up on an ornate throne, flanked by a hooded figure. _

_ "Can he be trusted?" the figure in the dark blue cloak asked. "Given our past history with him?"_

_ "He will, he will. The one constant in every person's psyche is the urge to survive. It's primal, and can never be denied. I know this all too well. In the meantime, I want you to search for our new arrivals. Keep an eye on them at all time, but do NOT intervene. I don't want his agents finding us. Now go my knight, you know your duty." The figure bowed and slid into the shadows. _


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Gundam Seed and Code Geass are both the property of Sunrise, Sebastian Connor mine, Anthony Russo is Wing Commander White Wolf's, and Daisuke Sanada is Centurious the Azure's.

Code Geass SEED: Wolf's Fury

By Storm Wolf77415 and Wing Commander White Wolf

Princess of Peace and Dragoness of the Sea

_ "Oh my! Tia call for an ambulance!"_

_ "Cordon off the entire area! Let no one through!" _

_ "He's sustained numerous burns and he's lost a lot of blood!"_

_ "Is he going to survive?"_

_ "I don't know. It's too soon to tell. Don't worry, Your Highness, we'll do everything in our power to save him!" _

_ "You still here? It's been two weeks and you haven't eaten at all! If Cornelia hears about this, she'd never let me hear the end of it!" _

_ "I can't leave his side! I found him…and I just feel this connection with him. I can't explain it, I just do!" _

_ "Oh come on, honey. Don't cry. I'm sure our friend here will survive. He's tough." _

_ "Am I dead…?" _

_ "It is not your time to die, Storm Wolf of Jachin Due." A feminine voice whispered in the void. "Just the opposite. Your journey has only just begun. You will find a new world to defend, and a new lady to fight for. You will become this realm's champion and bring freedom to it. Now awaken brave knight…and take your first steps into a new adventure!" _

Sebastian's eyes flew open and he sat up straight in bed, panting frantically. He looked around frantically at his surroundings. He was in large king sized bed with silk sheets in a very plush bedroom. The curtains were open, the sunlight flowing into the room. He threw back the sheets. He grabbed the IV needle stuck in his arm and yanked it out. He put one foot on the floor, pawing at the soft shag carpet.

"Alright, first order of business…Where on Earth am I? Clearly not the Earth Forces since I should be staring at steel and concrete, not a palace!" Sebastian looked around the palatial room he'd been staying in. Long curtains of rich purple curtains covered the windows. A landscape of sprawling gardens hung on the wall above the massive king-sized bed. Feeling bold, Sebastian cautiously opened the door and looked out into the hall. The hall was elaborately decorated, with several large oil paintings going down the length of the hall.

"Ah, you're awake, Commander Connor. Can I be of some assistance to you?" A silky, smooth voice called out to him. The Storm Wolf whirled around, hand going for a gun not present. He came face to face with a woman with sea-blue hair, dressed in an elaborate two-piece dress, consisting of a long sleeved corset that tied in the front, her flat stomach left bare, going down into a large ballgown style skirt, both in a brilliant sea blue.

The woman saw his threatening pose and held up her hands defensively, "Easy now! That crash must have you shook you up harder than I thought. You're not in danger here, Commander. Just the opposite in fact, you have us to thank for keeping you alive," Her voice was cool, but a hint of warmth behind it.

"Is that so? Forgive me for being a little…edgy. Just answer me and no harm will come to you. All right, let's start with the basics. Where am I, and how do you know my name?" Sebastian growled. His eye's flickering from blue to gold for a split second.

"You're at the Demeter Villa, located in Pendragon, capital of the Holy Britannian Empire, on the west coast of North America, Arizona to be specific. We found you in a crater just outside of town. Euphie and I had been out for the day when we saw your machine crash into the ground. Euphie immediately got out of the car and raced to help you. You should be grateful for our aid. My name is Baroness Tiamat Monarch, but just call me Tia, okay? I'm not very fond of my family." She blushed slightly.

"Alright…Tia, Next question, why is it so cold?" He felt a draft rush around him. He then noticed the enormous blush on Tia's face. "OH SHIT!" He screamed as the awful truth hit him…he wasn't wearing any clothes. Sebastian cursed a blue streak, diving back into the bedroom. He stuck his head out, "CAN I GET SOME FUCKING CLOTHES UP HERE, PLEASE? I DON'T ENJOY SHOWING COMPLETE STRANGERS MY FUCKING JUNK! EVEN IF THEY ATTRACTIVE!"

Tia had to keep from laughing, "Please calm down, Commander! I'll see about getting you something to wear!" She rushed off hurriedly, her entire face beet red. Sebastian paced around his room, a caged animal before he heard a knock at the door.

"I'm back. I got you some gym clothes. I'm not sure if they're the right size, though." She said.

"Doesn't matter, just fork 'em over." Sebastian snorted, sticking his hand out through the door. Tia put them in his hand and he pulled in a pair of plain white boxers, a gray t-shirt and sweatpants, and sneakers. He quickly got dressed, cussing under his breath the entire time. "I'm coming out now!" He huffed, folding his arms, "Did you enjoy the show?" He said dryly.

The blue haired girl giggled, "I have to admit, I did enjoy it very much! You're quite well built, Commander. You must be quite popular with all the ladies back home."

Sebastian rolled his eyes, "Yeah…whatever you say. How long have I been out?"

"About three weeks," she giggled. "Did you hurt your little head?" Tia hugged her chest, letting her breasts jiggle a little bit. But Sebastian paid it no mind. "Aw, come on, you're not even the SLIGHTEST bit interested in me?" Tia turned away. "I don't believe it! He's not even the slightest bit turned on by me?"

A set of footsteps echoed down the hall. "Tia? Is he awake?" A voice called out. Sebastian turned to the source and he nearly fainted from shock.

"As a matter of fact, Euphie, yes he is!" She smiled like the cat that had caught a billion canaries. "Commander Sebastian Connor, say hello to Third Princess Euphemia Li Britannia."

Sebastian's eyes bugged out of his skull, a girl walked by them. She was wearing a very tight pink and purple one piece, a gold swim cap in her hand. What captivated him the most was her hair...a brilliant pink. "Hi…" Sebastian said, shaking the girl's hand. His eyes glued to her perky chest, and perfect heart shaped ass. A familiar feeling welled up in his heart. A feeling he'd only had once before.

"I think he's into you, Euphie." Tia teased. Euphie blushed and quickly walked in the other direction. Sebastian's eyes never left her swaying rear end. "I think she definitely likes you, Commander." She observed.

"Yeah…I think I need some fresh air." He said, his mind still latched on the image of the Third Princess's backside waving. "A LOT of fresh air!" Tia slid her arm into his.

"Come with me, then. I think you'll find the garden much to your liking." Tia said, leading him out to a large, lush garden. "Beautiful, isn't it?"

"I am…thank you." Sebastian replied. "It's just been a long day for me. Did you find anyone else out there?" Tia shook her head. "I see…" He sighed, praying that the others had survived. "I ask because I'm wondering about the whereabouts of my team. I was trying to rescue them before I blacked out."

"We'll help you look for them. In the meantime, feel free to stay here at the palace, outside of the staff. It is just Euphie and I. We'd love the presence of a nice strong man to escort us wherever we needed to go." Tia cooed. "You seem to have fine taste in women."

"I seem to have a thing for pinkettes especially." He said, images of a pink haired beauty with blue eyes full of warmth and innocence, a radiant smile full of love and kindness for others around her, wearing a white and purple dress with long flowing purple skirts and holding a bouncy pink ball in her hands, flitting through his mind. He sighed, "Did you recover my CGUE?"

"If you mean that oversized Knightmare Frame, yes we did recover it. I don't think I've seen one so large."

"Knightmare Frame?" Sebastian asked confusedly. "Uh, yeah whatever that is. My CGUE is a mobile suit. Big, white trimmed in green with a huge gun and sword? Where is it?"

She blushed slightly, "I'll be happy to tell you where it is later on, but first I'd like to know more about your world. It seems you have quite the story to tell." She replied.

"Okay, I imagine you have quite the story to tell me as well." Sebastian replied, still having trouble processing the information he was alive and in another world. "Is there a place we can go where we won't be bothered? That is, to talk? I'm…not comfortable speaking about things in a public place."

"But of course! Come with me." She took the Storm Wolf's arm, leading him to a secluded part of the garden where a table and two chairs sat. "This is a quiet place where Euphie and I often have tea together and just wax about things in general. I doubt she'd mind us using it for a little while." Sebastian helped Tia sit down. "Why thank you." She said as he sat down in the other chair.

"You're welcome." He replied, sitting down himself. "I'm not really sure where to start. It's a long story," Tia squeezed his hand in a comforting manner.

"Take your time, I won't force you," She replied. Sebastian took a breath, and launched into the story of the Cosmic Era. Tia didn't say a word until he reached the present day.

"And the last thing I remember was coming to rescue my crew. There was a brilliant flash of light, everything went black, and then I woke up here. I don't know how or why this happened, only that it did." Sebastian gazed out on the vista before him. "I don't even know what happened to the rest of my squad, if they survived or…they didn't make it." Sebastian didn't want to complete his thought.

Tia just nodded in understanding. Sebastian just gazed out over the palace grounds. "You were close to them, weren't you?" She said.

"Yeah, they were my comrades, my friends. The only family I had left." Sebastian replied. "And I don't know a thing about what happened to them! Even if they managed to survive, for all I know they could be scattered across the entire damned planet!" He sipped his tea.

"Did any of them specialize in precision attacks?" she asked.

"Yeah, my whole unit was trained that way, why do you ask?"

"Well because there's word floating around our one of Area Colonies about a fighter running precision raids in the city. It completely destroyed a supply depot and the Knightmare Frame platoon assigned to protect it. They call it the Black Angel. He attacks at night, and only targets military installations. This man also protects civilians, if I didn't know better I'd say he was a knight."

"A knight?" Sebastian remarked.

"Yeah, the values fit. And he certainly is skilled if he managed to pull off what he did with just a single fighter craft."

Sebastian's immediate thoughts were of his best friend. He remembered watching the White Wolf test out a captured F-7D Spearhead. The fighter dipped and wove through the skies, Anthony whooping in joy. Although he decided to keep that little bit of information to himself for now, he wasn't quite sure of this strange woman, even if she was gorgeous. There was a hidden danger to the young Baroness, coiled, ready to strike at a minute's notice.

"You know Miss Monarch, you seem to know all about me, but I know nothing about you. Perhaps we should just lay our cards on the table?"

Tia smiled, putting her elbows up on the table and resting her chin in her hands. "You don't waste time, do you? All right, I'll play the game. It may come as a surprise to you, but I'm not just another spoiled nobleman's daughter…I'm an assassin, a very good one I might add. They call me the Sea Dragoness. My hands are not clean, no more than yours are."

Sebastian should have been dumbstruck, or even mildly surprised, but he wasn't. "Somehow I doubt your parents paid for those lessons." He remarked.

"My parents are winemakers and horse breeders. They'd faint at the first sight of blood." Tia snorted. "I'd rather not get involved with my home life."

"Fair enough. I know it's rather morbid to ask such things, but what's your preferred method of execution?"

"I'm a woman, Commander Connor, and I know how men think. They all have one basic need that must be met. You know what I'm talking about." She winked at him. "A few sweet words here, a flash of flesh there. They're practically begging me to come back to their room. And then…" She hit the table. "I strike! One hit and they're on the floor dead!"

She pulled out two tubes of lipstick, one in a brilliant sea green, and the other in sea blue. "These are the tools of my trade." She held up the green tube. "This is the Serpent's Kiss, a combination of potassium chloride and pancuronium bromide, the same cocktail as used in capital punishment." She then held up the blue tube, "And this one is the Dragon's Kiss, a mixture of oleander, foxglove, hemlock, strychnine, and cyanide. I've reserved this for those I've sworn to kill by own hand, or lips if you want to get really technical."

Sebastian winced, "Poison is an unpleasant way to go in any case. Most definitely by what you've put into that thing. Is there someone would warrant such a lethal brew?" He asked.

Tia's eyes darkened. "Oh there are many people who whom I'd love to give the Kiss too, however they're too powerful for me to even think of approaching them as I am now. So far, I've administered it only once…to a girl who was my rival at court. There was a man whom I greatly admired and respected. He treated me very well, like a member of his own family. This whore desired him for herself. He spurned her advances, and she didn't take it well. In a jealous rage, she killed this man's little's brother…he was eight at the time." Her eyes grew distant, "She was the first life I ever took. I expected to feel regret over it…but I didn't."

"She deserved everything she got for killing an innocent child. In other words, she was complete scum," Sebastian stated. "I'd be happy to do the deed myself. I'm pretty sure Anthony would even put aside his usual notions about harming women! I could see him putting a bullet in her head from a mile away!"

Tia laughed, "I'm flattered you would want to avenge the deaths of people you never knew. Provided, I hadn't already done it." She looked over to see Euphie coming their way. "Oh, here comes her Highness! I imagine she'll want to talk to you, so I'll leave you two alone!" Tia giggled, she passed by the Third Princess, "He's all yours!" She whispered to Euphie. The pinkette squealed and approached the young pilot. The Storm Wolf sized her up as she approached. She wore a pink dress with a ballgown type skirt, adorned with ruffles and frills. And her hair, a brilliant rose color he only saw on one other girl.

_Perhaps she's this world's answer to Lacus, she certainly looks the part. And…she does have a fantastic body._ He thought back their earlier encounter in the hall, how the shiny blue fabric of her swimsuit caught the light, giving her an ethereal glow.

She shyly walked up to the ZAFT pilot, hands behind her back, cheeks bright pink. "It's nice to finally meet you and be able to talk to you, Commander Connor. I'm so glad you survived that horrible crash," She said in a small tone, "You had several broken bones and lost a great deal of blood. There were a few moments when I…when we thought we'd lose you." She blushed, trying to cover up her mistake.

Sebastian didn't miss the flub, but said nothing. "I guess owe you a debt of gratitude, your highness. Thank you very much for tending to my injuries. I feel a lot better now. A lot of other people wouldn't have bothered. They would have just left me there to rot on the side of the road."

Euphie smiled warmly "But I'm not most other people. You were hurt and in pain. It wouldn't have been right to leave you to die." She slid her arm around his. "Walk with me for awhile, will you?" She cooed. Sebastian nodded and the two strolled among the gardens of the Demeter Villa. The Third Princess was clearly having a good time, clinging on to her escort's arm. A slight breeze made Euphie's hair and gown flutter slightly.

"Your highness, could you tell me exactly what happened when you found me? Tia, that is, Lady Monarch, told me you were out for the day and discovered me. I'd like to know what happened so I can put all the pieces of this puzzle together."

Euphie smiled, "Of course, Commander! Tia and I were coming back from viewing an art exhibit when lightning started flashing in the sky, although there wasn't a single cloud out that day. There was a flash of light and this oversized Knightmare Frame crashed in the road just in front of our limousine. We both got out to inspect it closer. We'd never seen anything like it before." Her face grew serious, "The cockpit hatch opened and you crawled out. Your face was covered in blood, and you had this crazed look in your eyes."

Sebastian flinched, "That bad huh?"

She nodded, looking away in shame. "You were holding a gun in your hand, staggering about like a drunk. Screaming some nonsense. We were more concerned about the fact you were armed. Tia used a taser to incapacitate you. It was as much for your safety as it was ours." Sebastian put an arm around her.

"It's alright, your highness, it was the smart thing to do at the time. I'm not going to hold it against either of your girls." He said. "I assume you contacted the military after that?" She nodded, "Great, just great."

"Is the machine that important to you?" Euphie asked.

"It's what was inside it I'm concerned about. My personal effects were insider there and much of it is irreplaceable. I just want to make sure everything's in one piece." Sebastian replied.

Euphie clapped her hands together, "If that's the case, you don't have to worry. We inspected the cockpit and found a couple of bags. The military took both them in to study the contents, but I can have them release it to you." She said.

"Thank you," Sebastian said, leading them back to the enclosed area, and sitting down. "I'm a long way from home, and I don't know if I'm ever going to get back there."

"If that's the case, you have a place here…with me." She held his hand, giving a warm, caring smile. Sebastian reflexively squeezed her hand. "Commander Connor, do you think you could tell me about…Miss Lacus?" She asked.

"And how do you know about Lacus?" Sebastian's eyes grew frosty. Euphie pulled out a thin slip of paper that the Storm Wolf recognized as a picture taken of the two of them when he'd received the Order of the Nebula after Jachin Due. He was wearing his red uniform, the decoration hanging around his neck. The Pink Princess looked overjoyed, looking majestic in her pale blue performance dress. She held onto his arm, resting her head on his shoulder.

"She's quite beautiful." Euphie said, her eyes misty. Sebastian nodded. "Her eyes hold such compassion in them, the eyes of someone who truly values human life…I also love the color of her hair. She had good taste!" She giggled, taking Sebastian's hand again. The Storm Wolf sighed wistfully. The Third Princess's bright disposition was just like Lacus's.

"I seem to have a way of falling for the pink-haired daughters of government leaders." He said, "I was…going to ask her to marry me…but I never got the chance." He pulled a small box out of his pocket. "I guess I should be grateful for the time we had together. Lacus always tried to find the best in everyone. I didn't feel worthy of her, but she wouldn't have any of it."

Euphie smiled, "I'm glad you found someone who had so much love to give you." She said. "We should probably return to the palace." The two walked back to the palace hand-in-hand.

"I suppose there are worse places I could end up," Sebastian remarked. "Since I ended up with such a lovely lady as you, Princess Euphemia."

She gave a playful smile. "By the way, Commander Connor. I'm a D-cup." He stopped dead in his tracks. "You were staring at me in my swimsuit earlier. I thought I'd tell you I'm a D-cup." She spoke in a soft little girl sounding voice. "I could…visit you tonight dressed like that. If you wanted me to?" Euphie giggled as the Storm Wolf started glowing.

"Uhh, I don't think that'll be called for, your highness." He said. Euphie pouted cutely. Sebastian opened the door and let Euphie inside.

"Oh! I have something for you! Wait right here!" Euphie went upstairs to her room, coming back with a slightly singed box wrapped in green wrapping paper and a white bow. "When I looked inside the cockpit, I found this package tucked under the seat. I didn't know if it was important or not. So I removed it before the military arrived." Sebastian took the offered package, looking it over closely.

"Oh…I remember now. Lacus sent me a care package just before assault on Endymion. I didn't have time to open it so I stuck it in my mobile suit for safekeeping. I guess now's as good as anytime to see what she sent me." Sebastian opened the package, and his jaw slackened, "What the…You gotta be kidding me!" He sighed, "Just what I always wanted!" He said, pulling out the contents, a baseball sized orb painted in a dark forest green. He flipped the switch on the back.

There was a slight electronic whine, two little LEDs started flashing, and flaps on either side started popping up and down, "Haro! I am fine and SO ARE YOU!" It declared in a very annoying electronic voice, and started rolling around on the table.

Sebastian sighed as he opened the card that came with the package. "A little something to keep you company…Only she would think that something like that would be a good companion."

"Aw! How cute!" Euphie gushed, picking up the Haro. The Haro waved its flaps, and started bouncing about the room. Euphie started chasing after it. The Storm Wolf couldn't help but laugh to himself, wondering if Euphie would have run and played if she had a billion of the small robotic toys.

"I wonder how the others are doing…if they even made it here in the first place." Sebastian said.

(Unknown Location)

"Ughh, did anyone get the license plate number of that _Laurasia_?" Daisuke grunted before vomiting in the toilet again. He wasn't exactly sure why he was hovering over a toilet puking his guts out, since the last thing he remembered was being trapped in the Earth Alliance's Endymion base. He had been thrown into a wall by what felt like a GINN punching him in the face, causing him to black out. He woke up feeling very nauseous and went for the first bathroom he could find.

He wretched again…He could taste the sickeningly sweetness of his last meal in his mouth, Cupcakes. Strawberry cupcakes to be exact…Not exactly the most fitting thing for a last meal. Daisuke figured if he was going to die, it would be with something sweet in his gut. After evacuating the remaining contents of his stomach, Daiuske took inventory of his situation.

He was alive inside a dirty bathroom puking his guts out wearing full SOIT combat armor. He doubted he woke up from a hangover. He did crazy stuff while drunk. He simply ended up in weird places. Not weird places decked out in full combat gear. This wasn't the fun type of weird like that time he woke up in Stockholm sleeping in a trash compactor. He was alone in unfamiliar surroundings and no idea if the others were alive.

Daisuke feeling as if he'd been drained of all life... He looked at himself in the mirror and didn't like what he saw. He was deadly pale, not the handsome pale skin he'd normally sported. His sister loved teasing him about his soft pale skin. Rather than gaining his dad's natural tan skin, he'd been engineered to look like his mother, Pale, non-blemished skin that looked as if a member of the finer sex should've owned it. Short, soft black hair framed bright reddish brown eyes that shined creepily in the crappy blinking lighting. "If you'd been born a girl, you probably never would've had to work a day in your life." Mina liked to tease.

He glared at himself, wiping the sick from his lips. "Curse my good looks..." He murmured self depreciatingly. His teammates loved giving him shit for it as well. He hated the torrent of it he got during basic. Daisuke, as usual tried taking it in good humor, saving his anger for later when they'd have CQC training.

That same phrase "pretty boy" still annoyed him to this day. Despite his girlish looks, he'd more than showed his competence in numerous exercises. That got the attention of few scouts from high profile teams. Jorge had picked him out for the Storm Wolves... The big guy loved sneaking up on him. Commander Connor trusted his judgment because of his numerous experiences on the battlefield. If there was one thing Jorge knew, other than scaring the living fuck out of him, it was the look of a decent soldier when he saw one.

The young soldier finished washing his face, and looked at himself in the mirror. He still looked on the pale side, but not utterly sick. "Well, I can't stay here forever. I guess it's time to mosey on." Sliding his helmet onto his head. He picked up his M7S, and made his way out to the street.

Daisuke keyed up his radio inside his helmet. "Storm Wolf Actual, this is Lieutenant Ikari. I repeat this is Lieutenant Ikari. I've regained consciousness and woken up in a strange locale. I'm not sure where the hell I am." He said into the radio. He got nothing but static in return. "White Wolf Actual, this is Lieutenant Ikari, please respond." Static was his only answer. "Shit! I guess I'll have to do this the old fashioned way then."

He stepped forward anyway... There was no other way other than forward to go. The sunlight momentarily blinded him. He brought up his hand to shield his eyes. The city stretched out before him…what was left of it, anyway. For miles, wreckage of buildings stood in defiance of the past ruins. War...Bloody war had touched this place. And shattered it to its core. Their previous beauty had been lost to imagination. Daisuke ducked into an alley when a giant robot toting a massive machine gun rolled by. It was much shorter than a GINN, painted in a brilliant blue and rolled on fold out wheels similar to roller blades.

Daisuke dropped to his knees. "God dammit!" He cursed the heavens. "They did it! They really did it! You damn, dirty robots! Damn you! Damn you all to hell! The Haros took over the world! Why God? WHYYYYY?" Daisuke raised his hands to the heavens. He then got back up and dusted himself off. He smiled to himself slightly. "I always wanted to do that." And he set off down the alley.

Author's Notes: Another chapter in the can! Next time we see how the White Wolf fares when he goes up against his most fearsome foe yet…a certain busty blonde Student Council President!


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Gundam SEED and Code Geass are the Property of Sunrise.

Code Geass SEED: Wolf's Fury

By Storm Wolf77415 and Wing Commander White Wolf

Chapter 3: Networking

Anthony wrenched his helmet off and puked on the ground. He regretted having that three-bean salad right before the drop. "Shit, that was rough…" He remarked, taking a look at his surroundings, "Okay, last thing I remember is being in a cramped little room on the moon, just seconds from dying. So how in the hell did I end up back on Earth in the middle of the woods?" He asked to no one in particular as he gazed around at the towering trees. A quick check found all his gear and weapons present. He put his helmet back on and shouldered his MA5, while hefting his SRS99.

After wandering through the woods for a few hours, he came upon something very out of place…a massive wall built of brick and stone at least twenty feet tall. "Okay…now I know I'm not where I was." The White Wolf felt lucky he still had all his weapons with him. He hadn't seen any wild animals but that primal fear still remained. Anthony wasn't in the mood to become a bear's dinner. His fingers curled around the 99. With lack of any other plan, he decided to follow the wall and see where it took him. When Anthony reached the end he stopped dead in his tracks. "A…school? Okay this just gets weirder by the minute."

He settled down in the trees and used his sniper rifle to case out the campus. Anthony's first impression was that it was a very high-class establishment. The school buildings had a very ornate, refined look to them. He saw a chapel, two sporting fields, and a large dome structure. "Looks expensive enough…If I'm going to learn anything about where I am, this is probably the best place to start looking." The White Wolf's keen eye then moved to the students themselves.

Hundreds of young men and women, no older than the White Wolf himself, milled about the campus. The boys wore a uniform of jet black trimmed in gold, with a fleur-delis emblem on the collar. The girls' uniform consisted of a beige jacket and black skirt with a green necktie. "Flashy uniforms, multiple hair colors, perfect teeth, some of the girls have boob jobs…they must all be on the wealthy side." He concluded.

The sun was slowly dipping in the west, signaling the end of the day, fewer people could be seen walking along the lush sidewalks. All the while Anthony kept a silent vigil, nothing out of his sight. "I'll wait until dark and go in then. I'm certain there's a computer I can access, But in the meantime…I'll get some sleep." He crawled back into the shadows, leaning against the wall. Anthony sighed and closed his eyes. After resting up, and waiting until the sky went dark, the Arctic White Wolf crept down to the school below.

He made it to the main school building and jimmied open the door. All of his senses were on full alert as he moved along the dead corridors. Years of experience and training keeping his breathing and heart rate under control. Anthony found the main office. He pulled out a lock pick and opened the door, creaking ever so lightly. He turned on the nearest terminal. Anthony nearly fainted when he updated his VISR's GPS and finally got his position. "J-japan? I'M IN JAPAN?" He hissed through clenched teeth, glad that his speakers weren't on or it would have echoed across the entire hall. He collected all the relevant data he could find and headed back down the hall.

As he headed back out into the night, His sensitive canine nose picked up the smell of chlorine, and he heard a faint splash. Moving on silent feet, Anthony found his way to an Olympic sized swimming pool with multiple diving platforms, "Alright whoever runs this place must be loaded to have a set up like this." He remarked quietly. He stuck to the shadows when he saw someone swimming in the pool.

The girl, he could tell by the decidedly feminine curves, climbed out. From Anthony could see in the limited light, she was tall and leggy. "Wow, she's got a set of legs on her." He said. She walked right by him, climbing the ladder up to the tallest platform. A beam of moonlight shone through the open roof and Anthony saw her in all her glory. She had shoulder length blonde hair, and brilliant blue eyes. She wore a brilliant red one piece with a white cross and the word 'lifeguard' stenciled onto it. Her massive breasts strained against the tight red fabric. The girl let out a loud scream and leapt off the platform, falling to the water below with a large splash.

Anthony decided it was best to quietly leave the premises, but then the shoulder strap of his sniper rifle slid and it clattered on the floor. "Shit!" Anthony hissed, grabbing the gun and scrambling to find somewhere to hide, but the damage was done. The woman quickly paddled over to the side and climbed out of the pool.

"Hello?" the girl called out, "Is someone here?" She started investigating the source of the noise. The White Wolf took off out into the night but his pursuer heard the footsteps and was not so easily deterred. She pulled on a pair of shoes and a t-shirt and ran out into the hall, where she saw Anthony's shadowy figure running from her, "Hey! Come back here!" She called out and took off after him.

What followed was a hilarious chase across the school campus. Even weighed down with all his gear, Anthony had a pretty good clip going for him as he cleared a low wall. He looked back to see if he was still being pursued and his eyes nearly shot through the visor of his helmet when she leapt over the wall with a single bound…her breasts jiggling magnificently.

Anthony dove into the bushes, "Damn, this chick is persistent! Does she ever know when to quit?" He muttered, before common sense suddenly kicked in. "Now that I think about it…why am I running from a high school girl? She may be my best source of info on where I am and what I'm doing here!" His thoughts were stopped by a loud scream. Training kicked in, he exploded out of the bushes, snapped up his M6 in an instant. The blonde was struggling in the grasp of a boy, wearing a dark jacket and slacks.

"Let go of me, you filthy pig! You're not even supposed to be here!" The blonde girl screeched, trying to worm out of the iron hold her captor had on her arm.

"Well now, Madame President, running around in just a t-shirt this late at night? So unbecoming of you!" The male spoke in an oozy, perverted voice. He grabbed at the shirt and ripped it off, leaving just the red swimsuit underneath. The blonde's eyes widened in terror, "Payback is a sweet thing indeed." He reached for the front of her swimsuit to squeeze her breasts.

"No…please!" She begged. In the space of two seconds, Anthony bum rushed him. Grabbed the girl around the waist and yanked her away from the would-be rapist.

"Surprise, Asshole!" He snarled, punching him in the face so hard it sent him flat on his ass. He put the girl behind him. The man struggled to get up, but Anthony pushed him back down, taking his sidearm and holding it directly to his temple. "If I were you, I'd turn around and walk far away from this place right now. Because if you don't, then I'll put a bullet in your head!" Anthony said. The man nearly crapped his pants. "What are you waiting for? LEAVE!" The stalker ran for his life.

Anthony sighed, if there was one thing he hated above all else it was rapists. He put his pistol back into its holster, and went back to retrieve his two rifles. But he was caught off guard when the blonde ran to him, and latched around his waist. "Oh thank you so much!" She cried, mashing her chest against his armor.

"Uh, you're welcome, Miss, is it too much to ask if you can let go of me? I'm having trouble breathing!" He said. blushing deep red, grateful his helmet obscured his face. Needless to say he wasn't expecting the girl to yank his helmet off and give him a big wet one on the lips. "What the hell was that for?" He sputtered.

"I'm showing gratitude to my brave knight for defending my honor from that psychopath. We expelled him from the school last year because he had molested one of the girls in the shower. He was looking for payback." She replied. Her eyes lit up when she got a closer look at Anthony's face, "Ooh, you are cute! I love your eyes." What's your name?" She grinned hungrily.

"Anthony." He said simply, wanting nothing more than to get away from this crazy girl, but the iron grip around his waist made it a little difficult. The pair of gleaming sapphires that were her eyes immediately took him in. He couldn't deny her beauty.

"Well thank you, Anthony. I'm Milly Ashford." She replied, A strong gust blew up. She hugged her chest, and started visibly shivering. "I guess this is what I get for running around in my swimsuit late at night," She blushed.

"No kidding." Anthony said, putting an arm around her "Is there a place we can go, somewhere private? I have a lot of questions to ask and you're my only source of information right now, Miss Ashford."

"Okay, let's go to my room. " She said. The blonde led the soldier to her dormitory. Milly slid on a sweater over her swimsuit, and sat on the bed. "So, tell me who you are. You're obviously not from around here, not in that get up." She smiled, kicking her feet idly.

Sighing, Anthony stood at attention. "Commander Anthony James Russo, Executive Officer of the Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty's 226th Black Ops Group. At your service, Miss Ashford."

"Mmm, that's a fancy title," Milly said. "Well, I'm Millicent Irina Ashford, Student Council President of Ashford Academy. And I'm very grateful to you for saving my life, Commander Russo. I know my grandfather and my parents would be very happy as well. But that can wait until morning." She yawned, laying down on the bed, "I'm exhausted." The blonde was asleep in moments.

Anthony sighed, settling down on the floor, lightly dozing. The sun came up, light filtering through the window of Milly's bedroom. The busty blonde got out of bed and took a quick shower. She started changing into her uniform when she remembered that she had an unexpected roommate last night. She found Anthony dozing on the floor, snoring. Smiling, she left the room, coming back later with a bundle in her hands. Milly gave him a light kick, "Wake up, sunshine!" She said.

He shot bolt upright. "What?" He groaned. Mentally reminding himself he was in a civilian setting. Milly tossed him the bundle. Anthony opened it, revealing the black and gold uniform he'd seen the guys around campus wearing. "What's this for?"

"I'm taking you to see my grandpa, he's the headmaster. While you certainly look tough in that armor, you might scare a few people if you walk around campus dressed that way." Milly said.

"Point taken." He said, starting to remove his chest plate, while Milly watched with approval, "Like what you see?" He grinned.

"I do." She nodded. Anthony started dressing in the school uniform. It was comfortable and easy to move about in. He didn't think too highly of the shoes though. It would be hard to run in them, opposed to his combat boots. He attached a shoulder harness for his M6S and a wrist sheath for his knife before putting the jacket on.

"The pistol and knife stay. I'm not going out there completely unarmed," He said, before buttoning up the jacket. "Lead on, Miss Ashford." He spoke formally.

"Follow me," she beckoned with her finger, and the two headed out onto the campus. A light breeze came through the east, "Beautiful isn't it?" Milly asked, passing by a couple of students hurrying to make it to early morning classes.

"Yeah, the architecture reminds me of home." He answered.

"What's that like?" She asked.

"It's better if I show you later. I have it on my suit's hard drive." He replied. The two arrived at a large pair of elaborate oak double doors with a gold nameplate inscribed with "R. Ashford. Headmaster". Anthony opened the door, letting Milly inside first. "Here goes everything." He tried not to feel nervous.

Milly sat on the edge of the desk, "This is my grandfather, Reuben Ashford, headmaster of this humble little institution of learning. Say hello."

"Good day, sir." Anthony spoke, his military training and demeanor setting in again. Milly started telling the story of how she'd been swimming and heard a noise that led to their mad chase across the campus. She then recounted how he stepped into protect her from the expelled stalker. Anthony said nothing through the whole thing, wanting to be respectful.

Reuben's shoulders sagged in relief, "I owe you a great debt, Mr. Russo. I'd been hearing reports about that troublemaker skulking about the campus. He never did forgive Milly and I for exposing him and booting him out. He would have loved nothing more than to cause me pain. There's no treasure greater to me in this world than my granddaughter." Milly put an arm around Reuben, a slight blush on her cheeks.

"There's no need for that, Headmaster Ashford. I'm a soldier and my duty is to protect the people. Nothing more, nothing less," Anthony replied.

"If I might ask, what branch of the military are you with, son? I don't think you specified." Reuben said.

"No sir, I didn't, and with good reason." Anthony reached into his coat, and produced his sidearm for Reuben to inspect. "I'm not from this world, or even this reality. I come from a parallel Earth." Reuben couldn't believe his eyes or ears. He picked up the M6, removing the clip and slowly looked it over.

"I've never seen anything like this before." He said in wonder.

"That is an M6C/SOCOM, alternately known as the M6S and 'Automag', Fixed internal suppressor, VnSLS/V 6E smart linked 4x scope, 12 round magazine, chambered in 12.7mm semi-armor piercing magnum rounds. It's the standard issue for the Special Orbital Insertion Troopers of the Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty, the organization I belong to."

"What are you, a spaceman?" Milly joked. Anthony just gave her an exasperated look.

"Uh, what do you think? You saw my suit, and you had to twist my helmet just to get it off." He said.

"Oh…I guess so." Milly said. Reuben sighed. He knew his granddaughter wasn't an airhead. But she sure put on a real good act at times!"

"Moving on, Mr. Russo. What will you do now?" the elder Ashford asked. The White Wolf sighed, and gazed out the window at the school grounds below.

"Well, as far as I know, I'm alone here. I have no idea where the rest of my squad actually is. So you maybe you could let me stay here at your school until I make my next move. And besides, after what happened to your granddaughter last night. It might not be a bad idea for her to have some extra protection."

Milly blushed, "Aw, my own personal knight! I'm flattered!" She said, latching onto his arm once more.

"More like your personal black knight, milady," Anthony spoke in an English accent, bowing at the waist. "So how are we going to explain my presence here at your school? I'm going to need a cover identity. Are you associated with any military figure or is this just a school for the wealthy?"

"The latter." Milly said.

"We could say I'm a hired gun acting as your bodyguard in wake of the attempt on your life, Miss Ashford. It might dissuade others from attempting to harm you again." Anthony offered.

"I think I might have a better idea in mind. What is your exact age, Mr. Russo? You don't look like you're more than twenty." Reuben asked.

"I'm nineteen, Mr. Ashford. My education was military all the way though. What did you have in mind, sir?" The White Wolf admitted. Reuben sat back in his chair, a smug expression on his face, giving Anthony an idea of where Milly's stubborn determination came from.

"Perhaps it could be simpler than that, my boy. We could have you become a student. No one would question a new transfer." Reuben said. "I'll have the paperwork drawn up. Why doesn't Milly show you more of the campus until then?"

"I'd be happy to, Grandpa." Milly smiled, latching onto him immediately, "Come on, Anthony. We're going for a little walk." She took Anthony's arm and leading him out of the office. Reuben smirked, it was clear his granddaughter was taken with the mysterious young man. She had never taken much stock in regaining the former status the family had once held, and chafed at the thought of having to marry some cold noble that would never really care for her.

A cool breeze blew across the campus as the teenagers enjoyed the sight of Japan in spring. "Can I ask you something, Miss Ashford?" Anthony asked, feeling his body heat rise as her curvy figure snuggled up against his fit, trim figure.

"Yes?" she purred.

"Why did you kiss me earlier?" He asked, remembering the softness of her lips.

"It was heat of the moment." She said. "Why, is it a problem?" Milly teased, running her delicate fingers down his back.

He smiled a wolf's grin, letting his own hand gently rub the delectable skin along her the nape of her neck. "No, not a problem at all. I rather enjoyed it. I never had a girl interested in me before. It was kind of nice."

Milly giggled, catching him up in a tight embrace. She put her arms around his neck, "Why have you never had a girlfriend before in your entire life?" the blonde cooed, Her breasts digging into his chest. "I'm surprised! The girls would be mobbing to get a piece of the brave, noble soldier you are. I know I'm lucky."

"Never, it was my first kiss as well. You in the market for a boyfriend, Miss Ashford?" Anthony said, before the blonde's lips brushed against his. "Was that a yes?"

"I think I'm going to like having you around, Mr. Russo. I can't wait to introduce you to the Student Council. I think we could use some fresh blood there." Milly said. Anthony suddenly felt very uncomfortable. "Something wrong?"

"First off, just call me Anthony. Number two, don't force yourself on me, it won't end well for you. Third, what exactly are you going to do with me?" Milly just giggled, kissing him on the lips.

"Sorry, a girl's gotta have her secrets." She said, lightly running her manicured fingers along his face. Thanks to his enhanced vision, Anthony could see how well cared for her nails were. She'd clearly just been to the salon, since they looked brand new.

"If me being with you keeps the creeps away, then it would be an honor. It means you have a bodyguard, and I have someone to keep me sane." Anthony said.

"Why thank you." She said.

"It also has some added benefits." He added.

"Added benefits?" Milly put her hands on her hips. He put his arm around her.

"As our relationship grows, we might want to try certain things as a couple." He gave a low growl. Milly started blushing again before she went into full out ham mode.

"Why, Anthony! I had no idea you were so forward! Very well then, I'll let you take me away and make a woman! Go ahead, do what you wish!" Milly amped up the melodrama, clasping her hands to her chest. Anthony just chortled. The busty blonde frowned, putting her hands on her hips. "Hey, this is A-grade material! You could at least look a LITTLE shocked!"

Anthony just shook his head. "Sorry, I'm not quite ready for that, and I doubt, despite all your posturing, you are either. There's nothing wrong with sharing a room, but I don't think either of us wants to end up having little wolf puppies yet, right?" He said. Milly blushed, this time in embarrassment. Despite how she felt about her family's situation, being mother was far from the top of her list at that point.

"I could do that quite easily. So shall I show you around?" She put her arm in Anthony's once again and she led him across the campus, pointing out the various points of interest, and explaining her family's fall from grace, and how they came to Japan before the invasion. The two sat down on a bench, enjoying the morning before the first bell rang, "So what do you think of Ashford Academy? A pretty nice spread, don't you think?"

"It's quite beautiful. Your family's done well for itself despite the hardships." Anthony admitted. Milly rested her head on his shoulder.

"So, I've told you about my family. Now you have to tell me about your life." Milly said. The White Wolf sighed, "What is it?" She asked.

"It's just…there are some parts of my life I find hard to recall." Anthony sighed. "How much time do you have before your classes start? I wouldn't want you to be late."

"Oh it's okay, please tell me." The blonde replied. The White Wolf launched into an abridged version of his story, intent on telling her more after classes ended in the afternoon. "And the last thing I recall was being trapped in this supply base on the moon with my squad, Sebastian's rushing to rescue us and then…I found myself in the forest outside your school."

"Wow…quite the story." Milly said, a little in awe that humanity had made it to the stars in another universe. Despite how advanced her world's technology had gotten, not even Britannia had managed to make it to the stars.

"Indeed, so getting to more immediate business. What do you plan for me to do on the Student Council?" Anthony asked.

Milly sat back, idly kicking up her legs in the air. "Well, you'll just be a representative. It will be up to us to decide budget funding for all the clubs and plan out school events. You have to join at least one club, and since I'm president, it would make the most sense for you to join us." She replied. "You'll like the others. We're a motley little band, but we have a good time."

"I see…should I watch out for any of them?" He asked.

"Hardly! Most of them are relatively harmless. Although you might want to watch your step around Lelouch, he's got a mind like a steel trap. He's usually the one who handles the finer details of our events. So he might be one to notice something off by your presence, especially if you're carrying a gun around." A spark of inspiration then hit Milly, "I got it! You can be our new head of student security. It should keep everyone off your back. I'll introduce you to them after school."

"Okay, I'll just hang around your dorm room until then." Anthony said, kissing her hand. "See you after class…Milady." He smiled. Milly kissed him on the forehead and walked off, her hips swaying. He could only gaze at her backside the whole time. "I think I found my woman." He said. The White Wolf laid back under a tree and looked up at the sky, "Pup…wherever you and the rest of the pack are, I hope you're all safe. I'll plant myself here and let you come to me. I'll be waiting."

(In some other place)

A murky soup was all that Duncan Cooper could focus on. He struggled to his feet, flailing about on rubbery legs. "Oh man…did Jorge slip me a Long Island Iced Tea again? He knows what those do to my head!" He grunted, feeling about for his M90A shotgun. Relief flooded his veins when he grabbed the hard plastic grip in his hand. The engineer gave an appreciative cock of his weapon. "Now to find the others…just as soon as my vision clears up!" He said. Duncan kneeled down and held his position, all his senses on full alert. He wheeled around at the faint taps of footsteps on concrete, a shadowy figure in a doorway.

"You can put the gun down, Cooper. I'm not an enemy." An exasperated voice spoke, one the engineer recognized all too well. Duncan's vision cleared further, the shadowy figure resolved into the form of Kyle Evans. He was in his mottled brown flightsuit sans helmet, an M7 in hand.

"Commander Evans…what are you doing here?" He said.

"Same thing you are." The Hyena replied, "I was helping your boss save your sorry asses. My CGUE got shot up underneath me. The next thing I know I'm lying face down in an alleyway."

"You haven't heard from any of the other guys have you?" Duncan asked. Kyle shook his head. "Damn it. So what do we now? You're a field commander, so that makes you the ranking officer here."

"Let's scout around for a little while. Perhaps we can find the rest of your squad. If they're in radio range maybe they'll contact us. We can plan our next move from there." Kyle said.

"Fine by me." Duncan said, the two of set off down the streets, darting from one alley to another, eyes constantly on the lookout.

"Stick to the shadows, and check your corners. We don't know if the locals are hostile. The last thing we need is to kill civvies by mistake and have the cops on our tails." Kyle said.

Duncan snorted, "The cops would be the least of your problems. Anthony would hunt you to the ends of the Earth if you did that!" Kyle glared at him, "Of course, you're far from the dimmest bulb in the box. You wouldn't have made commander if you were!" He quickly amended. A squawk of static went off in their headsets. "Hang on! This is Sapper to Storm Wolf Actual, Storm Wolf Actual do you read?"

"Duncan…is that you? Oh thank God! I was getting worried." Rachel's relieved voice replied.

Duncan nodded, despite her not being able to see it, "Yes it is, Iron Dove. It's good to hear your voice too. Have you heard from any of the others?"

"Affirmative, I've met up with Shawn and Gabby. What about you? Have you been contacted by Jorge, or Commander Connor and Commander Russo?"

"That's a big neg, Rach. I haven't heard from any of them. But I did run into somebody." Duncan looked to Kyle.

"Lieutenant Dupree…it's Commander Evans. What is your exact location?" Kyle said, immediately going into commander mode. Now that they had made contact with friendly forces, the first order of business was to meet up and discuss a plan of action.

"We've holed up in a bombed out ruin, we're sending you the coordinates to Duncan's VISR, you should be able to follow it right to us." She said. The Grimaldi Hyena looked to his partner who gave a curt nod, indicating he'd received the waypoint.

"Coordinates received, Lieutenant Dupree. You guys just sit tight. We'll be there directly." He said. "Okay, Lieutenant Cooper, where are we?"

"What the…Uh, Commander Evans. You're not going to believe where we are! We're in Japan!" Duncan said. "Tokyo, the Saitama Ward to be specific. But this doesn't make any sense. How in the hell did we get from the Moon back to Earth?"

Kyle shook his head. "We can worry about the finer details later. Let's just hook up with your buddies and we can plan our next move from there." The Hyena replied. Trying to keep focused on the matters at hand. Although he was just as befuddled at the situation. "When we arrive at the safe house, try and hook up to the Internet. It will probably be our best way to get some Intel."

"Yes sir." Duncan said, putting his worries behind him for the moment. Working together the two were able to evade the more populated areas, but they got a nice long look at how downtrodden the inhabitants were, and how dilapidated the living accommodations were.

Duncan shook his head in silent disgust; he remembered traveling to Junius Seven with Sebastian shortly after Jachin Due to pay his respects to his family. While it wasn't on the same level as that tragedy, it was still hard to see the suffering these people endured. "I look at some of these poor souls and my heart goes out to them. Whatever happened to these people, happened hard."

"I know, judging from the condition of some of those buildings. It's been like this for a while too…still doesn't compare to the ruins of J7 though. That's a nightmare I never want to see again." Kyle remarked. The Hyena remembered exactly where he was the day that happened. He'd been visiting relatives at their home on Maius Nine when he gotten word of the nuclear strike.

"At least you don't have the guilt the Boss does. Even after all this time he still blames himself for not stopping that missile sooner," Duncan said. Even Kyle couldn't argue with that. The two resumed their journey in silence and finally reached the waypoint, a bombed out three story building.

Takachi was standing guard outside. He saluted Kyle, who gave a quick one back, and the two men entered to find the remainder of the team clustered around a battered old table. "Commander on deck!" Gabrielle barked and the whole team saluted.

"As you all were," Kyle intoned quietly. He looked around at all assembled. "Is this everyone, Lieutenant Mason?"

"That we know of so far, sir. There's been no contact from either Commander Connor or Commander Russo. Lieutenant Sanada and Sergeant Farkas are also unaccounted for." the strategist said. "So for the duration, you're in command." Kyle didn't need enhanced spatial awareness to sense the hostility rolling off the other Wolves. So he decided to nip it in the bud.

He folded his arms and gave them all a stern gaze, "Look, I get you guys don't like me. I don't particularly like all of you either. But let me put this in perspective. I joined Commander Connor in his attempt to save you guys. Whatever my personal feelings may be. We are all still soldiers of ZAFT. We're in an unfamiliar place, and given our current situation we have to stick together. If Commander Connor were here right now, he'd say the exact same thing. Anyone wants to dispute this now is the time."

There was a tense stare down, "Huddle up!" Rachel ordered. The entire unit caught in a circle, conversing too quietly for Kyle to hear. One of them would occasionally poke their head up and glare at him, which he all too happily returned. The huddle broke and Rachel stepped forward. "We've discussed it, Commander Evans. We all agree it's for the best if we cooperate. Until we hear from either Commander Connor or Commander Russo, You are the ranking ZAFT officer on site. So what our next course of action sir?"

Kyle smirked, "That's more like it. First thing we need to do is paint a picture of our situation. I need accounts from everyone about what happened after you woke up. Describe everything and leave nothing out." In turn, each of the Wolves told their story of waking up in some desolate area before finding their comrades. Kyle sat down in a beat up folding chair someone found, "The accounts all match up. We all saw a blinding flash of light and woke up in a different part of the ghetto…interesting."

"I was going to head out and scout around a little bit. Since this is my homeland I would be able to blend in without much trouble." Takachi said. He looked out the window. "Hard to see it like this. Conquered and left a shattered mess. The last time I was in Tokyo it was absolutely beautiful." To everyone's surprise, Kyle gave him a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder.

The Hyena nodded, "I understand how you feel, but you need to clamp down now. Go out there and gather any intel you can, watch your six out there, alright? There's no telling who could be prowling the streets." Kyle said.

"Will do, and while we're at it." Takachi tossed a bundle of clothes to the Hyena, "Thought you might want to get out of that flightsuit. They're comfortable but after a while it feels like a sauna. We're about the same size so they should fit."

"Thanks," Kyle said, inspecting the bundle of clothes he'd been provided, a simple dark blue t-shirt and jeans with light combat boots, a relatively unassuming ensemble. He changed and went into the main room where Duncan had set up his laptop and was working feverishly. "Got that internet link yet?"

"Working on it right now." The sapper replied.

"Question…do you think get me some SOIT armor? I'm rather unprotected right now and it's a feeling I'd like to get rid of soon." Kyle said.

"Well, we've got the schematics, but it depends on what kind of materials we can find, sir. And I'd need the right tools to make the armor. I'm certain I can whip up a set for you if I can find a machine shop." Duncan said.

"Alright then. If you need me I'm going to take a nap. I need the rack time." Kyle said, going up to the top floor where a pair of cots had been set up. The Grimaldi Hyena crashed onto one of them. "Storm…you owe me big for this!" He said before finally getting some sleep.

(Area 11, Shinjuku Ward)

For Daisuke Sanada, the last two weeks had been a living hell for him. Like Anthony and his fellow squadmates, he was shocked to find he had ended up in Tokyo, specifically the old government ward of Shinjuku. Despite its battered, crumbling appearance, the twin towers of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building proudly stood over the ravaged landscape of what was the proud capital of Japan.

A bombed out shell of a building served as his current residence. What it lacked in creature comforts and working utilities it made up for with privacy and plenty of rat and cockroach roommates. Daisuke groaned, rising from the pile of ratty blankets that served as his bed. "Another day in paradise." He quipped miserably, looking at the ruined hulks that were once buildings.

He went over the battered table where most of his gear, including his SOIT Ballistic Armor, was currently sitting. The heavy battle armor was ready to be donned and used at a moment's notice. Anthony would have criticized his decision to remove it, but Daisuke was of the belief blending in was a necessary course of action at times. He threw on some clothes he had 'procured' when no one was looking, a pair of battered jeans, an old t-shirt, and a loud red hoodie that matched the color of his eyes.

During those first few days, Daisuke had started going to the various storeowners, begging small change in exchange for doing some meager chores. He also got a picture of the condition of Japan or "Area 11" it was referred to. He learned about the Britannians and how they invaded for the nation's Sakuradite, how quickly they were smashed thanks to the newly developed Knightmare Frame. His red eyes smoldered in quiet rage as he noticed the years of oppression worn in on their faces. But now wasn't the time for anger. He had to find his squadmates.

Daisuke checked his weaponry. His M7S had just been cleaned the sights worked, but he wasn't using it today. He took the M6S and tucked it into the belt holster he wore in the small of his back before picking up a long slender case. He put on a pair of mirrored aviator glasses and casually walked down the street, doing his best to look just another face in the crowd. The last thing he needed was for the Brits to become suspicious.

Daisuke ducked into a side alley, eyes darting about to see if he had been followed. For the last few days he had tried to contact the rest of his team. He had tried using his radio, but it had been fried by the microwave radiation used in the Cyclops system and hadn't had a chance to fix it. He was relegated to Plan B. Everyone had been issued special flares, colored brilliant white. He had fired them off hoping someone would respond with the corresponding green flare but nothing came of it. He was down to his last one. "Alright, guys, please someone see this. Please, oh, please!" He begged, loading the flare gun and shooting into the sky. The projectile rode a white trail into the sky and burst.

He searched the skies, looking for a green flash of light. "Come on! Come on!" Daisuke hissed sharply. Sadly his pleas went unanswered. His shoulders slumped. "Great! I guess I'm stuck here." Idly kicking a piece of gravel, senses hardened by years of training kicked in when he saw footsteps. He quickly ducked into a nearby building. His heart stopped when a pair of police officers clad in riot gear ran in.

"You see? I told you someone was firing off flares! And you said it was going to be a waste of time hanging around here." One cop said to his partner, holding out his hand "Come on, ya nance! Pay up! "

"Fine you win. Enjoy your quid, asshole." The other sniffed begrudgingly, dropping a twenty-pound note into the hand. "Damn terrorists are up to something. Search the area, he couldn't have gotten far." Daisuke tried to be as silent as possible, laying the case on the ground and opening it up. He pulled out a three-barreled shotgun. The Hydra was custom made and packed a mean punch, firing three 12-gauge rounds at point blank range. Even with the armor, the buckshot would still shred them to ribbons, especially if it was a headshot.

He took a knee, aiming the giant shotgun right at the doorway, finger curled on the trigger ready to pull it the minute. He saw the shadow of one of the cops start to spill into the room. His fingers tensed, ready to take the shot. But then he heard footsteps.

"The flare came from this way!" A voice, feminine in pitch, called out. The shadow receded as the two cops set their sights on a much more appealing target.

"It's those damn guerillas!" One officer growled. "They were behind it the entire time!" The two ran off, leaving the confused soldier behind. The sounds of gunfire started up. Daisuke cautiously inched his way towards the door, hoping to see what the commotion was all about. He saw the two cops started exchanging fire with two men and a woman.

Daisuke didn't need to choose who aim his weapon at. He cocked the Hydra, ran out of his hiding place, and leveled the monstrous gun right at the cop's back. "Knock knock, asshole!" He sneered foully, letting a massive spray of tiny lead balls rip his back into scarlet confetti. The other cop gaped as his partner pitch forward to the ground, his back missing completely.

"You bastard!" The cop cursed, raising his pistol, but Daisuke whipped him in the face with the butt of the gun before giving him some more of the same in the face. The wall had a new red paint job. The now headless cop joined his partner on the ground. Daisuke whipped around, looking for any backup. "Any other takers?" He snapped. "I didn't think so!"

"Wow! Nice shot man!" A voice called out. Daisuke whipped to see a scruffy looking guy peeking out from the crates, hands in the air. "Hey, watch where you're aiming that thing! We're on your side man!" He yelped indignantly. The woman popped up, smacking him across the back of the head. "Ow! What was that for, Kallen?"

"Just shut up, Tamaki!" Kallen snapped. Daisuke got a view of heaven. She was average height, but the shorts she had on revealed a nice pair of very long legs and a generous bustline under the tight red top she wore. Her spiked red hair cut along the jawline, giving her a fierce, almost predatory look. He could see softness in her baby blue eyes. They held a certain softness that even the worst of the occupation couldn't completely destroy. Still, Daisuke wisely kept his weapon pointed at her.

Taking a hint, Kallen holstered her weapon, "You can point the gun down now. I doubt you'd kill me considering our friends over there." She indicated to the dead cops. "You're not from around here, are you?" The three pointed shotgun came down, but Daisuke's grip was still firm.

"Something like that," he replied casually, shouldering the Hydra. Daisuke tapped the redwood lacquered handle lovingly. It always did do the job mighty right. "Name's Sanada Daisuke." He grinned toothily, putting on his best charm to accent those pearly whites. "I guess these guys might be regretting my little invitation. You guys, on the other hand, weren't exactly my intent either. I won't complain. Heaven opened to give me an angel in red as my protector."

Kallen rolled her eyes, letting out an unladylike snort. Daisuke could tell they'd get along famously already. "Is that a fact? Maybe we can talk about those weird flares," Her hand went to her perfectly sculpted hip. "I get the feeling you were behind them." Daisuke's grin just got bigger. "I thought as much." A guy in a leather jacket with slicked back hair came up behind her. "What is it, Oghi?"

"Kallen, the Knight Police will be here soon. We don't have the firepower to take them on directly. It's probably a good idea if we get out of there right now." He shot a protective glare at Daisuke. "You're welcome to join us, of course." Daisuke slung the Hydra on his shoulder.

"Sure, but we need to stop by my place first. I've got some valuable gear that I don't want to just abandon. I think it would be useful here in the near future." Daisuke explained sharply. Oghi nodded in understanding, he gestured to Tamaki and the three guerillas vanished into another alley. Daisuke grinned, looking up to the sky. "My luck's turning around. I might be able to find the others after all!" he said cheerfully, silently praying they had smoothing better than concrete to sleep on. He followed after them, grasping at the amber necklace hidden underneath his stained shirt. He was never one for superstitions, but someone he knew back home rubbed off on him.

"Haumea preserve us…"

It was a simple prayer that carried his hopes for the others on the graceful winds of faith. Daisuke wouldn't even mind Jorge scaring the crap out of him once more if he could see those jerks again.

(Demeter Villa, Britannia)

Two months had passed since Sebastian's arrival in the Britannian capital. The Storm Wolf locked himself in his room with a veritable mountain of books provided by Euphie and Tia. He was determined to learn as much about this world as possible before he started hunting for his teammates.

He slammed another book shut, depositing it on the floor with a dozen others. He got out of his chair and looked out the window towards sprawling landscape of the palace. The neatly trimmed lawn reminded him of the Clyne residence back at Aprilus One. Although beautiful, it lacked the comforting warmth of the gardens he had spent so many relaxing hours with Lacus in. Just thinking about the pink haired songstress made his heart ache.

Even the forest green Haro sensed it, "Sebastian miss Lacus? Sebastian miss Lacus?" It beeped, rocking back and forth on the desk.

He nodded, "Show it to me again, FG." The weary warrior said to his robotic companion. The Haro's eyes lit up, projecting an image of Lacus sitting a corner café wearing a simple white blouse and green knee-length skirt. The Wolf remembered that date well. It was their last time together before he shipped out.

He pulled out the box he showed Euphie earlier gently cracking it open. It contained a ring he hoped to give Lacus; Made of platinum with a brilliant diamond with a slight pink sheen to it, framed by the encircled wings of a dove. Sebastian inhaled deeply, trying to keep the tears out of his eyes. A knocking came at the door. "Just a minute!" He called; dissolving the image and hiding the ring box in a drawer.

Euphie stuck her head in, "Was I interrupting you, Commander?"

"No, your highness." Sebastian replied softly, putting on his best mask, "I was just finishing a book. Can I help you?"

"Yes you can." The Third Princess blushed, "My sister just back from a eight month deployment. Some of my siblings are throwing a welcome home party for her. I was hoping you'd come with me since I want you to meet her."

Sebastian kissed the princess's hand, "I would be honored to have the company of a lovely lady such as yourself." He said. "I'd also like to meet your sister, too."

She lit up at those words, "Oh thank you! I can't wait!" Euphie squealed in excitement, "We should see about getting you something to wear. It may be relatively informal, but you still need to look your best."

Sebastian patted her on the back, "Already taken care of. I had one of my spare uniforms packed in my mobile suit. Tia was nice enough to have it dry cleaned for me. I'm all set." Euphie clapped her hands in delight.

"Wonderful! The party's at 7:00 sharp so don't be late!" Sebastian saluted her.

"Will do!" He said, admiring the view of Euphie skipping off down the hallway. Sebastian smiled bemusedly. He couldn't deny how much Euphie reminded him of Lacus. The two pinkettes even used the same rose scented body lotion.

Emptying his mind of those particular thoughts, Sebastian set about getting ready for the party. He opened his closet. The only thing contained within on a hanger was a uniform colored a brilliant strident red, indicating the Wolf's status as an elite pilot of the Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty.

Reverently, he pulled it out, along with the white knee high boots that went with it. Sebastian laid the uniform on his bed. Starting a close inspection of each garment, making sure there was nothing wrong. Despite being in an unknown world, he was still a soldier of ZAFT and would fly his nation's colors. Sebastian checked the jacket inside and out, making sure there wasn't a single thread out of place and that it was freshly pressed. He then checked the pants, the creases so sharp a person could cut themselves on the fabric. The boots were last. His blue eyes appraised them from every direction, looking for any scuffs or scratches.

He gave a satisfied nod, setting the boots on the floor beside the bed, "Alright…it all passes muster. I still have about two hours. I guess I'll check on my gear." Leaving his uniform on the bed, Sebastian went over the table containing a plethora of assorted equipment. Thanks to Tia, he'd managed to regain the crash kit he stored in his mobile suit for emergencies.

His attention was focused on the small laptop computer complete with GPS tracking software. Sebastian hoped he'd be able to use it to find the rest of his unit. But to his frustration, it had been damaged. He lay on the bed, deciding to rest a little. His alarm beeped at six thirty, and he started getting dressed.

The Wolf turned his attention to the weapons he brought with him. The M7S SMG and its companion M6S SOCOM pistol, the spare M6G Magnum he kept in the cockpit of his CGUE, the KA-BAR combat knife Anthony gave him for last Christmas, and of course his beloved blade, Fenrir.

"Hmm, I'd probably have to give up my sidearm if I brought one." He smirked. "But then again, I'm not so reliant on guns like the other guys are." He took the knife, hiding it in a built in sheath on the left boot. Fenrir sat in its usual place tucked into the belt on his right side.

"Oh…my!" Euphie's eyes widened as Sebastian came out in his uniform. She had only seen him wearing the same rumpled pajama pants or an incongruous dark green t-shirt and black jeans he brought with him. But seeing him in the formal uniform sent shivers down her spine.

The Third Princess especially liked the color, a sharp blood red, contrasting with the knee high white boots, the dark green finish on the sheathed katana tucked into his belt, but most of all…his eyes, a strong steel blue that radiated with confidence and strength.

"Do you think this will be appropriate for the evening, ladies?" The Storm Wolf asked.

"Yes!" Euphie replied energetically, "I love that color on you! It compliments your eyes!" He took the princess's hand and kissed it.

"You wear it very well." Tia said, giving them a small nod. He could see the small smile in her lips. "Shall we go downstairs?"

"By all means," Sebastian said, taking both women's arms and walking down towards the area of the palace where the ballrooms were.

"I'm most amazed at the wide variety of colors your uniforms come in. Do they hold a certain significance?" Tia asked curiously.

"Yes they do. ZAFT isn't like regular militaries. We don't have a real rank system. Your position is determined by the color of your uniform. Regular crew and grunt pilots wear standard green and carry the rank of private. Those who go through advanced training earn the right to wear the red uniform. It's a great source of personal pride and status to be awarded the redcoat. Only the top ten in each training class manages it."

"It makes them true elites then…much like our Knights." Tia hummed thoughtfully in consideration.

"A good comparison. Redcoats are considered line officers and usually given the rank of lieutenant. Above them are the ship captains and senior aides, who wear black. Lastly, we have the team commanders. They wear white uniforms, and are regarded as generals or admirals, depending on the station."

Tia cocked a delicate eyebrow, "If you're a commander, why don't you wear white?"

Sebastian put his hands in his pockets. "Personal preference more than anything else. Regulations in ZAFT are more relaxed in regard to uniforms. There are quite a few commanders like myself who wish to honor their roots and continuing wearing the red. Anthony's a little more of a stickler, but since he's the 'White' Wolf, it makes sense for him to dress like that."

The three arrived in the ballroom where the party was being held. Sebastian whistled admiringly. "Wow, this is fairly good sized."

"Actually, this is one of the smaller halls used for informal gatherings like this one. The Grand Ballroom is nearly ten times the size." Euphie said softly, cuddling his arm. They walked into the door and the Storm Wolf got his first look at Euphie's brothers and sisters. He'd never seen so many frills and ruffles in one place before.

"You said this was an informal gathering, right?" Sebastian whispered to Euphie. The pinkette nodded. "Then why do I feel so underdressed?" He tugged uncomfortably at his collar. The girls both giggled.

"So where is the guest of honor?" Tia asked the Third Princess. "You see Cornelia anywhere?"

Euphie looked across the hall, until she found her beloved sister, looking tall and regal. Shoulder length violet hair hung freely down her shoulders, framed by the high neck of her white scalloped cape.

"There she is!" She said excitedly, bright eyes lighting up like stars. The pinkette grabbed her escort by the arm, literally dragging him across the room.

Second Princess Cornelia Li Britannia was very happy to be home. After eight long months overseas, there was no greater feeling than to be back on the soil of her homeland. She leaned against the wall, watching her siblings chat amongst themselves. The violet haired woman felt a light nudge. She saw her loyal knight, Gilbert P. Guilford standing with a glass of champagne.

"Thank you, Guilford," Cornelia said with genuine relief, taking the offered glass. The two clinked their glasses together, "I must say. I'm glad to be home."

"I agree. It's nice that your siblings went to the trouble to offer you such a welcome." The bespectacled knight replied, smiling widely. Seeing his princess glad also made him happy.

"Indeed, but it would be nice if there wasn't such fanfare sometimes. I wonder where Euphie is? I thought she would have been waiting for us when we landed." Cornelia said, staring into the crowd with sharp eyes that belied her father's mighty heritage. Euphie, Tia, and Sebastian emerged from the crowd. "There she is!" The Witch of Britannia's expression turned inquisitive when she saw the gentleman in the strange red uniform with a sword hanging from his side.

"Guilford, who is that with my sister?" Cornelia asked gruffly, her sisterly instincts kicking into gear. "I don't recall her saying she had met someone."

"No idea, your highness," the knight replied seriously, searching his knowledgeable mind for results. Not knowing the exact origin of the uniform made him inwardly uneasy. "He's definitely a soldier, but I don't recognize the uniform at all. I'd say he's with Clovis's Royal Guard, given the color. But it's much more red."

Euphie ran up to Cornelia, giving her a big hug. "Hello sister! Welcome home!" She squealed happily. "There's someone I want to introduce you to, Sister. This is Commander Sebastian Connor of ZAFT. Sebby, this is my sister, Second Princess Cornelia Li Britannia."

Sebastian was slack jawed, his blue eyes on the glassy side. In addition to learning all he could about the world Euphie inhabited, he'd also brushed up on the phenomenon that had brought him here in the first place. One thing he'd learned about parallel universes was the possibility of encountering a person's counterpart in the alternate world.

In a way he knew the Second Princess, except she wasn't royalty. In his world, this violet haired woman was just Cornelia Lamperouge, Wife of his mentor, the Crimson Fox Mark Lamperouge, and commander of the 308th Mobile Battalion, stationed in Africa alongside Andrew Waltfeld, the Desert Tiger. Despite what he had read, it was another thing entirely to encounter it in person.

"Does he not speak?" Cornelia demanded sternly. The voice was exactly as he remembered. Regal and commanding, with an edge of hardened steel to it, even the most hardened redcoats were deferential around her. He remembered facing off against her once in her violet colored TMF/A-803 BuCUE and getting thoroughly trashed. He imagined this Cornelia had a similar machine and the skill to use it.

"Sebastian?" Euphie elbowed him in the side. Sebastian's hand came up and the Storm Wolf smacked himself across the back of the head, eliciting surprise from the knight and two princesses. He ran his fingers along his face.

"Oh! I'm sorry! Zoned out for a few seconds." Sebastian snapped into his best ZAFT style salute, "Commander Sebastian Connor of the Zodiac Assault Frontline Team! Princess Cornelia, Your sister has told me all about you. It is a great pleasure to make your acquaintance, your highness." He knelt low, taking Cornelia's hand, kissing it lightly.

"Nice to meet you Commander Connor. This is my Knight, Gilbert P. Guilford." She indicated the bespectacled man standing ramrod straight beside and slightly behind her. "Although I'm wondering a bit about your unit, I've never heard of…the Zodiac…whatever bit was." The Witch of Britannia replied.

Sebastian shook his head, "ZAFT will suffice, your highness. You wouldn't have heard of my team anyway. ZAFT specializes in black ops. What we do is purely off the books. Very hush hush. We do unconventional warfare, infiltration."

"Assassination." Cornelia sniffed with a hint of disdain in her voice. The Second Princess lived by a strict code, always letting her enemies see her coming and facing them head on. She didn't approve of stabbing someone in the back. Sebastian didn't rise to the bait. He simply locked eyes with her, matching his commanding gaze against her own.

"We all fight in our own way, your highness," Sebastian said calmly, "You take the fight directly to the enemy. I hide in the shadows and strike at them from behind. You may not like what I do, Princess Cornelia. But you can't deny that people like me are necessary. I go into the shadows to face the enemies who are too cowardly to face your troops directly."

"How did you come to meet Princess Euphemia, Commander Connor?" Guilford wisely changed the subject.

Sebastian scratched the back of his head, "It's kind of embarrassing, Sir Guilford. I was testing an experimental Knightmare Frame that would be able to fly under its own power. I…crashed it." He grimaced, "I was just lucky Princess Euphemia saw the crash happen and found me. She nursed me back to health, and I've been staying with her ever since."

"Indeed…" Cornelia said, not liking the idea of a strange man staying in the same house with her little sister. "Euphie…may I speak with you in private?" She dragged the Third Princess away to a secluded corner where they were out of earshot of anyone else, "Are you out of your mind, Euphemia? You just picked him up off the side of the road?" He could have been a spy for all you know!" She hissed.

"He was badly injured, Cornelia! He had already lost a significant amount of blood and would have died if I didn't act right then to save him!" Euphie retorted defensively. The young princess had done her all to ensure Sebastian's safety. It was not about pride, or defiance. A genuine fire of humanity flared in her eyes. One even her beloved sister could never hope to snuff out. Euphemia Li Britannia would not ever give up on something she knew as truth. Like her sister…Euphie also had their mother's fire. "Unlike you, I don't see the world through paranoid eyes where everyone is out to get me! Sebastian is a good man with a kind heart. If he had wanted to hurt me, he would have done it a long time ago, and besides which he'd have to go through Tia first!"

Cornelia grunted, she didn't think very highly of the Sea Dragoness either, but tolerated her since her reputation was so fearsome among the court and she genuinely looked out for her younger sister when the elder Li Britannia sibling was on one of her many campaigns. No one dared raised an arm against Euphemia while Tiamat Monarch was on the prowl. "Okay, I'll let it go…for now. But know that I'm going to be keeping a very close on him." Her voice softened, "Everyone else I care about is gone…Mother, Lelouch and Nunally. You're all I have left, Euphie. I wouldn't be able to live without you."

Euphie hugged Cornelia, "Don't worry, sister. Everything will be fine." She said. Across the way, Sebastian had watched the argument unfold with a growing sense of dread.

"Why do I get the impression that's not going to bode well for me?" Sebastian asked the Knight. Guilford just readjusted his glasses.

"She's just being a good sibling, Commander. It's natural for her to be protective of her little sister after finding a suspicious young man living with her for two months and not saying a word about it." He replied. "It makes me wonder as well." His sharp eyes fell on the sword handing from Sebastian's belt. "I'm more curious about the blade hanging at your side. That's from Area 11, isn't it?"

Sebastian's hand fell on Fenrir. He had made sure to read up on the Britannian Colonial System to create a convincing cover story. It had reminded him too much of the relationship between the PLANTs and the sponsor nations back home before the war broke out, but he would play along for now. "If you mean Japan, yes. I lived there for a time before the invasion. A man named Un No trained me in the way of the sword. This blade was my graduation present from him."

"I imagine he trained you well. Perhaps we could have a sparring match after this all over." Guilford said, some sense of challenge showing in his otherwise neutral gaze. Sebastian immediately considered accepting his offer. He was slowly getting himself back into top form, but he could only do so much on his own. As a Royal Knight, Guilford would have to be a very high caliber warrior, doubly so if he was selected by someone like Cornelia. A match against him would be a good measuring stick to gauge his progress. "I'll take you up on that offer, Sir Guilford."

"Very well then, Commander Connor." The bespectacled knight replied. He noticed his princess beckoning to him. "I will speak to you later. Princess Cornelia and I have some business that requires our attention." He offered a slight bow and moved to join Cornelia.

"Well, Guilford, what do you think?" She asked authoritatively. Guilford was perhaps one of the few men who could handle her sternness without flinching in her presence.

"At first glance, he appears to be a decent sort. I asked him to face me in a mock battle in a few days. I think we can get a good idea of his skills then. He's definitely hiding something from us. What that is I'm not sure. He's keeping it close to his chest." Guilford said factually. The Second Princess' violet lips twisted into a grimace. Sometimes Guilford's sharpness only served to disconcert her more. "I want you to learn as much as you can about him. Even if Euphie does have an attraction to him, I want it to be clear to this man that my sister is not to be trifled with, or he will answer to me!" Guilford bowed slightly, offering a silent prayer that the Storm Wolf didn't do anything to incur the wrath of the one known as the Witch of Britannia. Very few had ever lasted once Cornelia was angry.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: See chapter 1. Gilgamesh Sai Britannia is the property of Centurious the Azure.

Code Geass SEED: Wolf's Fury R1

By Storm Wolf77415, Wing Commander White Wolf, and Centurious the Azure

A Developing Storm

A new day dawned on Pendragon, The sun slowly rose over the heart of the Holy Britannian Empire, painting the buildings with its life-giving light; all the buildings slowly turned the colors of the rising orb it emerged to give birth to a bright new day. A single lone figure stood in the gardens of the Demeter Villa, drinking in the sight of it all. Sebastian always liked watching the sunrise. It was the one thing Earth had over the PLANTs.

"Some things in nature just can't be replicated; a good sunrise is one of them." He remarked to no one in particular. Forest Green rolled about his master's feet. He couldn't help but give a wistful gaze at the Haro, despite incredibly annoying and wanting to punt it over the house; it was his sole connection to where he came from. "Well, FG, I guess it's time to get to work."

"Time to get to work! Time to get to work!" It beeped before taking off to do whatever it is Haros do when they aren't annoying dimensionally displaced ZAFT ace pilots. Sebastian just shook his head in bemusement as he commenced with his morning workout. The sound of metal grinding against metal rang in his ears as he unsheathed Fenrir. He held the blade given to him by Un No at eye level, watching the sun reflect off the polished steel.

He began a practice kata. It quickly became a rapid ballet of slashes, stabs, blocks and parries. If anyone had been watching they could immediately see the master swordsman the Storm Wolf of Jachin Due truly was. He then reached the ending slashed upwards and then spun in a tight circle and went for a sweeping cut, near an old dead tree. He sheathed Fenrir. A long second passed, the trunk split and clattered to the ground with a loud thud.

Sebastian looked at the rotted wood; "I guess I did the landscaping staff a favor by getting rid of it." He remarked, before heading inside to take a shower. It had been four months since arriving on this new world and he hadn't seen or heard anything from his team. It was starting to make him restless. He went inside and grabbed a shower.

Once he was done and in a fresh change of clothes, he grabbed some breakfast and went out on the porch. He looked out across the cityscape, towards the far horizon. "Anthony…I hope you're alright, brother. I'm going to do everything in my power to find you and the others, just hang on a little bit longer."

He went inside to find Euphie and Tia sitting at the breakfast table. The two women were prepared for a visit to unveil a new exhibit at the Pendragon Natural History Museum. Despite not having any kind of real authority, The Third Princess still had her social obligations to meet. It suited the Storm Wolf just fine. He needed some time to himself.

"Commander, Do you have any plans for the day?" Euphie asked.

"Actually, I do have a request to make of you, Princess." Sebastian stood up, finishing his tea. "It's been four months since I've come to your world. I suppose I'm feeling…restless is all. I haven't had a good fight in a while and thought I'd try my luck against Britannia's finest. Think you could set something up?"

"Quite easily, I could talk with my sister and she could arrange it." Euphie said. "Of course, that would mean you'd have to learn to pilot a Knightmare Frame. I doubt they'd let you use your own machine." She spoke of the CGUE, secure in a special hangar below the villa, usually reserved for machines belong to a royal's personal guard unit, but it was currently empty except for the aforementioned machine.

"I don't mind…it could be a challenge, learning how to use a completely new kind of weapon." Sebastian said, relishing the chance to pilot a Knightmare Frame. There was a certain thrill of mastering a new machine.

(Ashford Academy, Area 11)

On the other side of the Pacific Ocean, The Arctic White Wolf was preparing for his day. Anthony had settled into the population of the posh boarding school with little effort. He was currently getting his school uniform on and preparing for the day. Anthony picked up his M6S SOCOM, giving it a quick check before putting it into the concealed holster on his right hip.

He grabbed his school bag and made his way to homeroom. To be honest, he had never expected to be a student ever again. His whole life had revolved around combat and to be dropped into a situation like this without any kind of preparation was far from his ideal situation. But like a true soldier, he would adapt. So far, he had a dim view of most of the students; many of them were ignorant of what was going on outside the school walls, and buying into much of the rhetoric the throne threw out on a daily basis.

"Hello Anthony!" A cheerful voice called out. The sniper turned to see a young woman with long auburn hair come towards him, wearing the beige jacket and black skirt that made up the female Ashford Academy uniform. Shirley Fenette was one of the exceptions when it came to the students. She was cheerful and polite, always ready with a sweet smile and a kind word. Plus she wasn't half bad looking to boot.

"Good morning, Shirley. How was your big swim meet?"

"Thanks for asking. We came in first place!" She replied. Her green eyes alight with warmth when the first bell rang. "Come on, we don't want to be late! I wish Lulu could take an example from you and not cut classes, it just annoys me to no end when he and Rivalz take off to go gambling." She said.

"I'm surprised you're so concerned about him, Shirley. Perhaps there's something more going on?" He smiled knowingly, causing the swimmer to start blushing.

"Uh, I have to get to class!" She said quickly before running off. Anthony just watched the redhead. It was clear to anyone she had a crush on the dark haired young man that was the Vice President of Ashford Academy's Student Council. The Arctic White Wolf remembered his first meeting with Lelouch Lamperouge.

_(Student Council Room, three days after meeting with Milly) _

_Anthony tugged at the collar of the school uniform he had been given. He had to admit it was at least stylish. He idly walked around the room, looking at the myriad of pictures on the bulletin boards, a chronicle of past events the school hosted. A wistful smile came across his lips, in another time, another place. He could have lived a life where he didn't have to worry about anything more than studying for a big exam and who he'd ask to the next big dance._

"_I wonder if things had been different, we could all have lived together as a real family? Dad, Mom, Zavier and me?" He mused quietly to himself, and then quickly quashed the thought. "Hah! Not a chance! There was a reason Mom took off with Zavier. It was probably for the best…" It was then the door opened, admitting Milly, followed by the rest of the Student Council. A mousy looking kid whom the Ashford Heiress identified as Rivalz Cardemonde, the council treasurer, Shirley Fenette, a member of the swim team and secretary, a meek girl with glasses named Nina Einstein, part of the computer club, and finally, Lelouch himself._

_The Arctic White Wolf first opinion of Lelouch was despite his seeming frailty, there was strength in his demeanor. Anthony wondered if he was some kind of nobility. He looked very much the part with his almost cold, aristocratic features and a thoughtful, calculating look in his brilliant violet eyes. Milly had warned him that Lelouch was a very perceptive individual, and could see things others missed or just ignored._

_But all of that changed when a young girl with long, curly light brown hair sitting in a wheelchair came in. The calculating look quickly vanished and was replaced with an uncharacteristic softness. Milly had told Anthony about Lelouch's little sister, Nunally. Her cuteness and sweet demeanor immediately took him in, and the sniper could immediately see why everyone loved her._

"_Well, my little minions, there's a big announcement today. Mainly that we have a new addition to our ranks! Please welcome Anthony Russo, all the way from the homeland." Milly posed like a model showing off a new car, to which Anthony just smirked bemusedly. "Anthony, why don't you introduce yourself?"_

"_Gladly, Madam President." He said, giving her a small kiss on the hand, eliciting blushes from Nina and Shirley while Rivalz gave a shocked expression. "As Miss Ashford said earlier, my name is Anthony Russo, I am honored to be at this fine institution of learning and I hope to get to know everyone. Please take care of me." He spoke._

_Nunally came up to him. The White Wolf smiled warmly, kneeling down, "And a very special pleasure to meet you, my dear. You must be Nunally, right?"_

_The sandy brown haired girl giggled cutely, "Why, yes I am!" Anthony gently kissed Nunally's hand, eliciting another cute, bell-like titter, and her pale cheeks turned red, "This is my big brother, Lelouch. Say hi, brother!" The regal looking young man extended his hand out. Anthony noted that the elder Lamperouge sibling had a strong grip despite his frail looking body._

"_Welcome to Ashford Academy, Mr. Russo. I think you'll really like it here." Lelouch's voice even sounded regal and commanding._

_Anthony made a mental note to keep any knowledge of the Cosmic Era from Lelouch, he was definitely hiding something, but he'd play nice for now. It helped his little sister was fall down cute. "Please, call me Anthony, and the honor is mine, Mr. Lamperouge, can I call you Lelouch?"_

"_Of course, it's a welcome to have another addition to the council. We're always so busy, we need all the help we can get." Lelouch said. They all sat down and commenced with the meeting._

Anthony also fingered the badge on his collar. Milly had given him the new office of "Head of Student Security." While it amounted to being little more than a glorified hall monitor, it helped that he could justify why he was armed. His hand rested where his SOCOM was waiting to be drawn, but he doubted it would come to that. The bell rang and he was off to his next class.

(Stadfeldt Manor)

Not far from the Academy, a young woman with red hair was waking up to her daily dose of hell. Kallen Kozuki yawned as she sat up, revealing she was wearing nothing more than a pink bra and panties that showed off her very voluptuous figure. She grumbled as she changed into her uniform. She really did not want to go to Ashford. But Oghi had been firm, telling her to lie low for a while. And going to Ashford meant staying at home with the rest of her "loving family." It didn't take long, the minute she finished dressing and opened the door she had to stare at the pointed, sour face of Jessica Stadfeldt, Kallen's stepmother.

"Oh…you're awake on time for once." She drawled in her usual, condescending tone. The woman's voice was like nails on a chalkboard. "I suggest you get going. I don't want to get a phone call from the Headmaster saying you had collapsed at school…again. Now go get some breakfast." There was a shattering of glass, and the Stadfeldt matriarch's nostrils flared in a truly undignified fashion. Kallen didn't have to look far to see the source of the sound.

A Japanese woman in her mid-forties, dressed as a maid was standing over the remains of what used to a light cover for the lights on the chandelier. "Uh, I'm sorry mistress, the ladder gave out when I was changing the lights." She meekly replied, before Jessica lashed out, backhanding the poor maid across the face.

"Worthless Eleven trash! You can't do a single thing right!" She snapped, about to hit the maid again, but she found her hand stopped. Jessica's eyes widened as her husband fixed her with a stony gaze. "J-james!"

"And it's no wonder why the Japs are constantly shooting us full of holes!" Baron James Stadfeldt barked, "It's because of incidents like this! What have I told you about abusing the servants? You seem to forget I sign their paychecks! We have three kids and all you can think about is yourself! Of course that's pretty normal around here, given all the time you spend blowing through my money for more plastic surgery! Go back to screwing the pool boy, you bitch!"

Jessica turned up her nose at him, "Hmph! Like you're one to talk!" She shot back, "All you do is lounge around the house all day and get drunk! We've been married for seven years and you don't even as so much as speak to me, let alone touch me!"

"That's easy, I don't want to get infected with all the Botulism coursing through your body! I'm surprised it hasn't killed you already!" He replied, before looking to Kallen, "Sweetheart, go ahead and get off to school. I don't think you need to see this!" Kallen rolled her eyes and quickly took off down the stairs, wanting to get out of the house as quickly as possible, tuning out the argument between James and Jessica. She had to pass by the rooms of her half-siblings.

"Hah, take that you fags!" Came the loud, obnoxious voice of her older half-brother, James Stadfeldt Jr. as the sound of very bad rap music and the sounds of Call of Duty spewed through the door. Jimmy spent most of his time indoors on either his computer or one of his numerous video game consoles, subsisting on a diet of junk food and no exercise. He was constantly sweating and panting when he tried to do more than walk.

At the same time Kallen winced, as from the room across the hallway came the sound of someone torturing a cat. Actually it was just her equally obnoxious half-sister Linda making her latest attempt to get a singing contract…and it was going about as well as she expected. Linda was desperate to become famous, finding any way to go about it. She had even taken to post the horrendous atrocities she called songs on Myspace and Facebook, hoping to catch someone's attention. It wouldn't have surprised Kallen if she put out a sex tape before long.

Kallen only nominally acknowledged Jimmy and Linda as her siblings. At the rate they were both going, he'd be dead before he hit twenty due to high cholesterol, and she would probably keep chasing the spotlight long after her fifteen minutes were done. In her mind, the only brother she truly had was Naoto. Without another word she stomped down the steps and out of the house, just glad to be out of the house and be away from all the chaos. She began the trek to the bus stop.

To Kallen's surprise she saw a jet black Ferrari roar around the corner, loudly blaring its horn before screeching to a stop in front of her. The tinted window rolled down, "Hey Kallen, need a lift?" Yukimasa grinned. The young halfblood hadn't really been sure of the young man she met a few months prior in the Ghetto. The Shinjuku cell had been seeing weird flares popping off every few days and they were wondering if it was some Britannian trick.

They were quite surprised to see the young man wielding an enormous shotgun that had turned the two officers into bloody paste. He had been friendly enough, but the man identifying himself as Daisuke Ikari was clearly hiding something. But he had to admit there was a charm to him. Those blood red eyes were like two rubies and that smile could reduce her to jelly. "Hey, Daisuke…where did you get that car?"

He pulled his mirrored aviators down some, revealing those blood red orbs. "Borrowed it from my boss for the day. He won't mind as long as I bring it back in one piece. Come on, get in!" Kallen felt a slight niggling feeling in the back of her mind, but that brilliant grin was something she couldn't ignore. She opened the door and climbed in. "Hang on!" He gunned the throttle and took off, barely giving Kallen time to fasten her seat belt.

"GAHHHHHH!" Kallen screamed as the car lurched forward, gunning up to 40 miles per hour. Yukimasa just cackled. "You trying to get us both killed?"

"Aw, relax Kal. It's all good! I know what I'm doing!" He said, eyeing her uniform. "Mm, nice threads. You going off to school?"

"Yeah, but not by choice." She replied. "The only reason I'm doing this is because Ohgi wanted me to lay low for a while. I really don't want to go, though…" She trailed off, watching as the hallowed halls of Ashford Academy slowly loom up before her, but then the car made a sharp turn to the right, heading east toward the outskirts of the settlement. "Where are we going?" She asked.

"You said you didn't want to go to school. So how about we go somewhere nice instead?" He asked. "Maybe get you a fresh change of clothes so you don't stand out too much. But I do have to admit, you make that uniform look real good!" He gave an appreciative gaze to her long legs. Kallen just blushed, and Yukimasa's grin grew wider, "So tell me, where do you want to go? I'm totally good with it."

Kallen lightened up a little, "You know what? Forget what Ohgi says…take me to his apartment. I want to see him and the others. They're the only real family I have left!" She folded her arms.

"Your wish is my command, my fair lady. So let's not waste any more time!" Yukimasa grinned, gunning the throttle and the sports car made its way toward the ghetto. The two teenagers got more than a few strange gazes as they drove down the streets in the forty-five thousand dollar car. They stopped in front of the ramshackle building many of the Shinjuku cell members lived in.

It was much to Ohgi's surprise when Kallen came literally barging through his now trashed front door, courtesy of a well placed kick. The former schoolteacher barely had any time to get a word in when she wound up and slugged him right across the jaw, and he doubled over onto the floor on his knees. "Ow! Kallen, what the hell? I thought I told you to go back to school!" She just sneered and kicked him in the side. Kallen then grabbed him by the collar and hoisted Oghi up so they were eye to eye with each other.

"Let me make myself absolutely clear here, Kaname Oghi! I am NOT going back to that shithole ever again! I have had enough of all of them! This is my home now and you will just to accept it! Or do I have to finish off by smashing your balls in?" Kallen snapped.

"That won't be necessary, ma'am! You can have the spare guest room!" Oghi rasped, still nursing his sore ribs. Satisfied she had made her point, Kallen let go and walked off into the room. Yukimasa gave a sympathetic smile to the older man and helped him up.

"She let you have it good. Let me get you some ice." Yukimasa said, going over to the counter and grabbing a paper towel. He wrapped some ice up in it before handing it to Oghi. "I guess that's why it's not a good idea to piss a woman off, eh?" Oghi grimaced in affirmation as he put the paper towel to his face.

"Kallen knows damn well why I told her to lie low at home for awhile! Honestly, she's as stubborn as Naoto is!" Oghi immediately felt a stab of pain at the mention of the elder Kozuki sibling. "…I promised her brother I would protect her after he ended up in prison for that botched bank job we tried to pull over in Sengawa a few years back. I know her family isn't the best example of humanity, but at least she could have hidden herself as a Britannian. It's one of the few advantages that come with being a halfblood."

Yukimasa just shook his head. "I understand where you're coming from, I really do. You just want to be sure she's safe. I got a little sister myself…I see a lot of her in Kallen. Neither of them are the types of girl to want to be protected, and they really don't need much protection anyway." He trailed off as he thought of the youngest of his siblings.

Nanako Ayaka Sahaku was one of the rare bright spots in his life, and among the few things he missed about being home. He knew the protective feelings Ohgi had for Kallen, acting as her brother when her real one wasn't there. His own fraternal instincts always roared to life when they were together. Yukimasa put a hand on Ohgi's shoulder, sharing a moment of silent bonding. "Kallen wants to fight alongside you and everyone else in order to liberate Japan. You don't have to like it, but you can at least respect it."

"I guess I don't have much of a choice, do I?" Ohgi said, grabbing a beer from the fridge. "So where have you been for the last few days? You just upped and disappeared." Yukimasa just grinned.

"Why don't you come downstairs with me? It's easier to show you than tell." The two guys walked down the steps to where the sports car was still sitting. Ohgi's heart about stopped when he saw it.

"What the?" He sputtered, his mind still trying to process the sight in front of him, "Get that thing in the garage right now!" Yukimasa just shrugged, hopping in the driver's seat and quickly speeding around the corner where there was a small garage. The car came to stop in the garage, where Ohgi was frantically looking around, half expecting the Knight Police to appear.

"Are you out of your fucking mind? Where in the hell did you get this thing from?" The younger man just gave a cheerful grin.

"I picked it up from a Britannian guy that had been picking up Japanese chicks in the ghetto; fed them a bunch of crap about starting a new life with him in the Settlement. Once he was done stringing them along, he'd dump them right back where he found them. Saw it happen with my own eyes, no less. So I decided to look the bastard up." He grinned, "It turns out he collects cars, and they're always in need of maintenance and I'm very good with machines. So he let me tune them up, keep them in good shape. And I decided to help myself to this little beauty." He patted the car. "Go ahead and pay him a visit if you want. I'm sure he'd let you take a couple of them for yourself."

"Daisuke, let me be absolutely honest when I tell you this… You're insane," Ohgi said, to which Yukimasa just shrugged.

"I am what I am, can't change it." He said. "Look at it this way. We can sell the car, and probably make a fair amount of dough on it. I know we're always strapped for cash. In fact…" He smirked. "If we really were hard up, I'm certain we could help ourselves to the old man's collection. I'm certain he wouldn't mind at all! We could take what cash we need and give the rest of it to the people!"

Ohgi couldn't help but feel his own lips twitch a little bit. The Britannians never hesitated to throw their wealth around and rub it in the faces of all the Japanese. This was a chance to get some of it back and give it to the people who needed it so much. "Okay…I could probably find a chop shop who would pay big to sell off the parts. We'd just need to plan the heist out."

"I think we'll have a good time with that." He grinned. "So, what's been going on since I've been away?"

"I managed to get my hands on a real treasure! An old RPI-11 Glasgow that we salvaged from a scrapyard! It's going to give us a huge advantage in our raids!" Ohgi said. "And since you did say you're good with machines. Think you could look it over? It won't do us any good if we can't even start it up."

"I think I can manage. Where is it?" He said.

"In a warehouse across town. It's still pretty beat up, but if we can get it running, then we can start conducting larger scale operations than we usually do. What do you think?" He asked.

"Give me some time with it, and I'll have it purring like a kitten!" Yukimasa grinned. Ohgi nodded with approval and went back upstairs to try and make things right with Kallen. "And while I'm at it…I may pay a visit to that scrap yard and scrounge up another of these Knightmare Frames for myself." He said to the empty room. "It doesn't hurt to have a little extra firepower now, does it?"

(Frederick Ril Britannia Memorial Army Base)

A dark green motorcycle drove through the gates and came to rest in one of the parking spots. Sebastian pulled his helmet off and looked around. The base dedicated to the Ninety-Seventh Emperor was located about twenty miles from the Imperial Capital of Pendragon, and it was about one of the largest he had ever seen. Most of the ZAFT bases that were in the PLANTs were small, but well organized; given how space in the colonies was always at a premium.

But here the base spread out, in some ways it was appropriate, a representation of Britannia's vast military strength and domination over the world. The Storm Wolf was rather disgusted at the level of ego he had seen from the few members of the royal court he had met, but when one third of the planet was under their control, he guessed they could get away with acting like a bunch of colossal douchebags. There were many indications to Sebastian that the situation between Britannia and the Area Colonies was exactly the same between the Earth Alliance and the PLANTs back home.

Putting his thoughts aside, Sebastian entered the base, taking in the sights. Many were giving him strange looks at the sight of him in his red uniform, but so far nobody tried to stop him. He reached his destination, a massive brick building with the unit symbol for the 127th Armored Division, Cornelia's personal force, a coat of arms consisting of a gold cross on a violet background.

Sebastian strode up to the large oak double doors and pushed them open. He walked into the central room of the Headquarters, "Anyone home?" He called out. Another door opened, admitting a young woman in her early twenties, dressed in the standard female duty uniform of the 127th, dark violet jacket, blue sash, white skirt, and black knee-high boots.

"Can I help you, sir?" She asked in an even tone, taking note of the stranger in the equally strange looking red uniform. Although she had to admit the red brought out the color of his blue eyes.

"Yes, I'm a guest of the Division's executive officer, Major Guilford, could you please tell him I'm here?" He asked. The silver haired girl wasn't about to just let this guy walk around their base unchecked.

"He is here, but I'll need to know who you are. As a matter of security after all." She said, putting her hands on her hips. Sebastian smirked. The girl wasn't stupid enough to just accept he was a visitor and was making sure to stay in control of things, to him that was always a good sign.

"Commander Sebastian Connor, leader of the Zodiac Assault Frontline Team, and perhaps you could tell me your name, my dear?" The Storm Wolf turned on the charm, causing the girl to begin blushing.

"First Lieutenant Anna Peries, Grasham Valkyrie Squadron." She replied. It was then a series of girl like titters wafted through the door. She rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Really?" It was then three other girls, a brunette, a blonde, and a redhead wearing the same uniform as her entered the room. Anna looked on in annoyance, "I'm sorry, sir. These are my squadmates. Ladies, this is Commander Connor, please introduce yourselves." They all saluted.

"Second Lieutenant Maria Falkner." The brunette said.

"Second Lieutenant Marika Soresi." The redhead replied.

"Second Lieutenant Lilyanna Vergamon." The blonde smiled warmly. Sebastian snapped to attention and saluted them, who responded in turn.

"Well, ladies. It's nice to meet you all." All the girls melted at his dashing smile. .

It was then Guilford came out. "Ah, hello Major Guilford. Thank you for inviting me over. I was just getting introduced to some of your people."

Guilford bowed slightly, "You're quite welcome, Commander Connor. Yes, Lieutenant Peries and her team are some of our division's rising stars, Princess Euphemia informed me you were looking to get a few practice rounds in."

"Indeed, I heard from Baroness Monarch that the 127th is one of the best combat units in the entire Royal Armed Forces, only the divisions under the Emperor stand above them." Sebastian remembered the talk he had with the Sea Dragoness after the first hostile meeting with the Second Princess, wanting to know everything about Cornelia.

"Indeed, we take pride in our combat prowess." Guilford said. Despite his face not betraying his emotions, The Knight clearly took a great amount of pride in being considered one of the very best. It "Our soldiers are the elite of the elite. If you're really looking for a good fight, then you've come to the right place."

"Who do you recommend?" Sebastian asked.

"There's quite a few who would give you the fight you're looking for, but if it's not too much to ask. I'd like to be your first opponent. I need to keep in practice as well." The light reflected off Guilford's steel rimmed glasses. Sebastian gave a wistful smile. "Something wrong, Commander?"

"No Major, it's just…seeing your glasses make me think of my partner. He has those exact same frames. It…makes me feel at ease seeing them." Sebastian sighed, it wasn't easy to admit how much he missed the man that was like his brother. "So, you want to be my first opponent? That's just fine by me. Given your status as the Second Princess's personal knight, I have to imagine you would be nothing less than elite."

"I'll try not to disappoint. Let's get changed and head out to the training yard? We had the Knightmare Frame prepared as you requested."

"By all means Major." Sebastian said. "And perhaps these lovely ladies would like to observe our battle?" The girls giggled, clearly they wouldn't mind at all.

"Then let's get changed and head out to the training yard. We had the Gloucester prepared as you requested." Guilford said.

(Locker Room)

Sebastian took off his uniform and pulled the dark green garment on. He had been happy to see that Euphie had a new version of his flightsuit made. He pulled the white helmet out and regarded it for a moment, before tucking it under his arm. He saw Guilford, now wearing a Britannian style flightsuit in deep purple, trimmed in black and gold. "Lead the way, Major." The Storm Wolf said.

The two soldiers headed out to the training area. There two RPI-209 Gloucesters sat, one was Guilford's personal machine, painted in the brilliant violet-purple that signified his status as one of the senior commanders of the 127th. Clenched in its hand was a massive gold lance, the preferred weapon of choice for many in the 127th, their commander included.

The other was painted in a dark forest green while the shoulders and very tips of the head unit were a brilliant white. To the Valkyries it reminded them of freshly fallen snow in the wintertime. The machine had also been outfitted with a pair of slightly curved blades, larger versions of his beloved katana. The Storm Wolf began a slow walk around of the Knightmare Frame.

Guilford began inspecting his own machine, but every so often he would quickly gaze over to Sebastian, watching his every movement. He definitely knows his way around a KF with how closely he's looking it over. He wants to make sure it hasn't been tampered with. Guilford thought to himself. The Storm Wolf finished before giving a slight nod to Guilford and putting on the white helmet, and boarding his machine.

Sebastian's first opinion of the Knightmare Frame was that getting in and out of them was inherently awkward. He felt the seat retract into the cockpit pod and the control panel came to life. "Definitely different from a GINN or a CGUE. But there are some similarities." He grasped the control grips, fingering the universal track ball control and giving it a few experimental spins.

"Well, Commander, shall we begin?" Guilford asked, brandishing his spear. Sebastian smirked, drawing one of the katanas. "Seeing as how you're the guest here, I'll let you make the first move."

"Spoken like a true knight," Sebastian said, giving a salute with his own blade. "Alright then, Major Guilford. Let's see if you can weather my storm!" He looked to Anna, "Lieutenant Peries, if you'd please start us off?" The ash-blonde pulled off one of her earrings and let it drop to the ground. The jewelry glinted in the afternoon sun, and the small glimmer provided the symbol for both men to attack.

Sebastian was just a couple seconds faster. He began by opening fire with his Slash Harkens. Guilford expertly dodged out of the way, responding with his own Slash Harkens. He saw an opening and rushed his opponent, lance poised for the blow. To his surprise, the dark green Gloucester whipped around, the curved blade snapped up to trap the lance. The two machines were in a deadlock.

The Storm Wolf smirked, and punched Guilford's machine square in the torso, sending the Knightmare Frame flying backwards, followed up by another barrage of the Slash Harkens. The knight of the Second Princess fired his own, the four grappling hooks crashing into each other before they whipped back.

The two Gloucesters stood unmoving, each waiting for the other to make the next move. Sebastian didn't hesitate, rolling at top speed and circled around to flank his opponent, firing his right Slash Harken, followed by a fast slice of his blade aimed at the purple Knightmare Frame's head.

It was only through reflexes honed by training and much battlefield experience that allowed Guilford to dodge out of the way. He grunted, and plunged the spear towards the green Gloucester's torso. Sebastian paled for a second, and threw the machine to the left. But wasn't able to fully evade the blow. Guilford finally landed the first clean hit of the match, his spear plunging into the right shoulder of his opponent's KF, leaving the now useless right arm to hang limply at this side.

Sebastian winced, feeling his entire machine shudder violently. "Not a bad move, but I'm not a conventional kind of guy!" His finger hovered over the button to purge the useless limb, waiting for Guilford's next move. Once he was in range he smiled wide and pressed the button. "Say cheese!"

The arm rocketed off, acting as a crude projectile, and it was aimed right at Guilford's cockpit. He didn't have time to completely get out of the way, and so the rocketing fist crashed right into the purple Gloucester's face, taking out the factsphere. The bespectacled knight felt a wild burst of energy surge through him. Twirling the spear, he aimed with the lower part at the legs of his foe's machine in an attempt to trip him up.

Sebastian was ready for it, using his machine's remaining arm to swing upwards, slicing through the Gloucester's cloak, and leaving a large scratch mark along the length of the cockpit module. He then surprised Guilford by actually flinging the sword at him. It was simple enough to knock it out of the way with the spear, but he wasn't prepared for the Storm Wolf's rush, now carrying the second katana. One clean slice sent the left arm flying.

Both machines were now once again inches from each other. They were covered in scratches and gouges, evidence of the quick but brutal brawl between them.

Major Gilbert P. Guilford took a deep breath to calm himself. "In all my years as a soldier…no one has ever managed to do so much damage to my machine. Whoever you are and wherever you come from, Commander Sebastian Connor. It's clear you're no ordinary soldier…" He rasped, "It appears we're at a stalemate. Do you yield?" He asked, the tip of his lance just inches from his foe's cockpit.

"Heh, I was just about to ask you the same thing, Major. You almost had me when you took out my shoulder." Sebastian replied, his blade lying near to the purple Gloucester's head. "Our machines are both rather banged up. Perhaps we should just cut our losses for the day…and call this match a draw?" The katana came away, "That way we can both save face."

Guilford considered this for a moment, and the spear was slowly pulled away. "Indeed…a draw it is then." The purple Gloucester then surprised everyone by bringing its weapon up and offering a salute to the Storm Wolf. He returned the gesture, acknowledging him as a worthy opponent.

The Valkyries were stunned at the outcome of the fight. Guilford was considered one of the best in all of the Britannian Royal Armed Forces. He had been nominated for the Knights of the Rounds multiple times, but turned it down every time, insisting his place was by Cornelia's side. To them it seemed like a certain victory, but the Storm Wolf had held his own against the man known as "the Spearhead of the Empire."

"No way that just happened!" Marika exclaimed, watching as her commanding officer emerge from his Knightmare Frame. "No one's ever done that to the Major's unit before!"

"Well, he just did!" Lilyanna replied, watching as Sebastian did the same, coming from his damaged unit, helmet in hand. The two of them got down and walked toward each other, eyes not deviating. The two soldiers just stood for a few second regarding each other. Before Sebastian held his hand out.

"Good match, Major. If you're this intense during a simple practice session, I'd hate to have fight you for real." Sebastian said. Guilford's lips twitched upwards in a slight smile and took the Wolf's hand offering a strong handshake.

"I concur. I can see why you were taken out of the regular forces, Commander." Guilford was still in awe at how fluidly the Storm Wolf moved. It was like he was born in the cockpit. "Your skill exceeds anything I've ever seen before. I dare say you'd even be a match for the Knights of the Rounds themselves, even Lord Waldstein would be hard pressed to keep up with you and he's the Knight of One."

"I appreciate the compliment, Major Guilford…But how about we cut the bullshit?" Sebastian's face became all business. A tingle went down the bespectacled knight's back at how serious the younger man had become. He was like a predator, a wolf poised for the kill. "I'm no fool. I know Princess Cornelia ordered you to keep an eye on me and see if I was a threat to her sister. Now I'll admit she's fully justified in thinking that way, Euphie is her little sister and would be naturally protective of her." He took a deep breath, "Especially since she's the only family Her Highness has left after what happened to her mother, not to mention the tragedy of Empress Marianne and her own children…"

Guilford's eyes widened. "And just how do you know about that?" He asked to which the Storm Wolf nodded.

"Baroness Monarch filled me in," He began rattling it off in near monotone, "Third Imperial Consort Elizabeth Li Britannia, formerly Elizabeth Weber, the Grand Duchess of Maine before her marriage to 98th Emperor Charles Zi Britannia, assassinated on July 8th, 2003 ATB when a suicide bomber took over her personal jet and blew it up in midair. Fifth Imperial Consort Marianne Vi Britannia, formerly Knight of Six Marianne Lamperouge; murdered in a drive-by shooting on October 17th, 2009 ATB. Her children, Eleventh Prince Lelouch and Eleventh Princess Nunally killed during the Second Pacific War when Britannia invaded the nation of Japan…If you ask me it reads like a damn Greek tragedy!"

"So you understand why Princess Cornelia is weary of any outsiders approaching Princess Euphemia?" Guilford asked, getting his own game face on. The Storm Wolf just shrugged.

"Cornelia holds herself responsible for what happened to her mother, and the woman she admired so much. In many ways we're not that different…" Sebastian trailed off looking off towards the mountains on the horizon, recalling a nuclear bomb plunging towards an hourglass shaped colony hanging in space while he could only scream in impotent range from his totaled GINN.

He turned to look Guilford in the eye, "What kind of soldier can you be if you're unable to even protect your own family from danger?" he asked, letting the Knight be hit by the full intensity of the pain in his steel blue orbs. It was the same pain Guilford only caught in the briefest of flickers in Cornelia's eyes. The Second Princess concealed her sorrow deep behind her haughty exterior; the mental armor she had built up over the years contained it, but the Storm Wolf of Jachin Due did not bother with such trifling things. He wore the pain on his sleeve, and looked into the abyss of his own eyes every morning in the mirror.

Sebastian looked way older than his eighteen years suggested. Guilford could see he was a true veteran and not just some arrogant pretender hoping to get in good with one of the Imperial Family as a fast track to greater things. "You don't have to say anything, Commander Connor. It's not my place to know." He replied. "But still…I need to tell her something. Her Highness is expecting a report from me." To which the younger man nodded graciously.

"Major, I've come to respect you, as a soldier and as a man. So I'll throw you a bone…the truth is that I'm trying to find where my team is. After our last mission, I got separated from them. I'm desperately looking for where they are. I can't tell you anything more than that, because it was one of those missions that no one would admit to." Sebastian closed his eyes, "My team is all that I have left in this world, Major. I just want to find them."

Guilford considered this new information. Perhaps a gesture of good faith inn helping track down this mysterious 'ZAFT' squad of the Storm Wolf's would help improve relations between the young pilot and the Second Princess. "I will tell Princess Cornelia about this…She has access to resources that would make ascertaining their whereabouts quite simple. I'll just need to swing it by her." He said.

"Thank you, Major. I think it's about time I returned to the Villa, Euphie would worry." He offered a salute to the Valkyries and departed for the locker room to change.

(Frederick Ril Britannia, Headquarters Building)

Unbeknownst to anyone, a few others had observed the battle between Sebastian and Guilford. "Impressive…most impressive." A young man of seventeen with short golden hair remarked, "I never imagined the day would come when someone would push Cornelia's Knight to his absolute limit. It's quite fascinating. I'm quite curious to meet the pilot of that green Gloucester. He could prove to be quite the source of entertainment."

"Entertaining only to you, I'm just bored!" His companion, a young Japanese woman of the same age with raven black hair tied up with black silk ribbons yawned, Her green eyes rolling in impatient annoyance, "Do we have to hang around here any longer, Gil?" The gold haired man smirked, kissing the girl's hand.

"Heh, not any more, my dear little Rinny. We have a commercial to shoot at 2:30." He replied, eliciting a groan and a muted sob from the poor girl. Gil just grinned and wrapped her up in a strong embrace "Hey, the King of Grills needs his Queen. I can't very well appear to my subjects without you now, can I?" He drawled.

"Kill me…" she whimpered.

(Pendragon Streets)

Sebastian rode in silent reflection back to the Li Britannia residence. "I gotta say that was a harder fight than I was expecting." He said to himself, as the wind whipped against his face. "Guilford was easily redcoat level. As I'm certain those Valkyrie girls are as well…" He recalled the four young ladies and how captivated they had been by the fight. "I may very well go up against them next time."

He turned on to St. Darwin Street, the place where the many branches of the Imperial Family kept their homes, finally reaching the Demeter Villa. The massive wrought iron gates creaked open, admitting the Storm Wolf's motorcycle. Sebastian sped up and drove into the large garage where the villa's motor pool was situated. The black Lincoln Continental limousine used for official state functions was still present, as was one of the two black BMW 7-F01 sedans kept for daily use.

Euphie and Tia had taken the other sedan, while their guard detail was riding in a pair of black Buick Escalades, noticeable in their absence. Sebastian parked between the limo and the sedan, doffing his helmet. He grabbed his bag and began to walk back toward the house when he someone pounding at the gates. His hand went to his M6S, and went to investigate. Sebastian's jaw nearly came unhinged at who was standing at the gates.

The seven foot three giant of a man dropped the stick he had been using as noisemaker. He was wearing the uniform of a Special Orbital Insertion Trooper of the Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty, sans the armor and helmet, which Sebastian suspected was in the large bundle at his feet, along with the M247H Heavy Machine Gun that was his usual weapon of choice.

He hair had been trimmed very close and the weathered, scarred face was a road map of the many battlefields he had seen in his life time. He grinned widely at the sight of his commanding officer. "Hey Boss…been awhile hasn't it?" Chief Warrant Officer Jorge Farkas remarked.


End file.
